Bhindi do pyaza translates to okra with double the onions. When you see the words “do pyaza” in the title of a dish, you should expect there to be plenty of onions in the recipe. My recipe calls for using onions in two different ways. We’re using my pre-made onion masala sauce which is made up of caramelized onions and tomatoes and we’re also adding large cubes of stir-fried onion that we’ll sauté, remove and then add back to the finished dish, ensuring a bit of crunch in what would otherwise be a texturally soft dish.
WHAT DOES OKRA TASTE LIKE?
I love okra – always have. It was the one vegetable that I liked even as a kid. But it’s surprisingly difficult to describe what okra tastes like. Here’s my (sad) attempt at describing okra: Okra is a mild-tasting green veggie (technically fruit) and it tastes kinda like zucchini or green beans or asparagus and sort of has the texture of cooked eggplant but with seeds that are more pronounced and yet still soft… so basically, my description of okra isn’t helpful at all and you should just try it. I suppose we should also discuss okra‘s texture…
BUT ASHLEY, ISN’T OKRA SLIMY?
My husband, a former okra-hater, is pretty matter-of-fact when it comes to answering questions like this (unlike me, clearly lol) and so I’m going to tell you what he has to say about okra: “All okra is slimy. You have to get over it. Unless it’s fried and even then it might still be slimy.”
That said, can I please take a minute to defend okra slime? Honestly, I think that adjective is the problem. We just need a new word for slime.
I’ve been asking my 3-year-old, Tony, to describe the food I make and I love his adjectives because even though they’re not always flattering, I find them adorable. He loves to say “this tastes goopy, mommy” (usually referring to sabzis… I mean, he’s not wrong). So yes, let’s go with the word goopy – I like it much more than the word slimy.
Did you know that okra goop is actually a type of digestible fiber? It also helps keep the pod from drying out. Now that you know what it’s for, maybe eating it won’t be as unappealing?
Give my recipe for okra do pyaza a try – the acidity from the tomatoes helps mask the goop as does the crunch from the onions and the creaminess from the potatoes. If you like okra, you’ll love this. If you don’t like okra, there’s still a good chance you’ll enjoy this dish.
Serve this dish with plain basmati rice, jeera rice or roti. You can also serve it alongside one of my many dal recipes.
And if you like this dish, try my mushroom do pyaza or my chicken bhuna masala which is basically chicken do pyaza. Enjoy!
Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board now so you will remember to make it later!
