Crispy bhindi or chickpea flour coated crispy okra made Indian style but without deep frying in an air fryer! Easy Indian side dish, ready in less than 20 minutes with a fraction of oil.
Why we love this recipe
1. Quick vegetable side dish, ready in less than 15 minutes with just 3 minutes of active work time.
2. Thanks to the air fryer, It's a hands-off recipe that doesn't need babysitting.
2. No deep frying; you use a fraction of oil you would otherwise.
Deep-fried okra is an indulgence. It's not something you can make daily because you have to deep fry it, but an air-fried version can be made daily with no fuss! Not only is it quicker to make, but you only use a couple of teaspoons of oil.
Bhindi is the Hindi word for okra. In India, okra is prepared in many ways, but the most loved are masala bhindi, bhindi do pyaza, and crispy bhindi.
It's a dish I have been obsessed with since I was a child. It goes so well with dal rice and kadhi chawal and now I can make it easily with the help of the air fryer.
You can use the same process to make an air fryer lotus stem, beans, and capsicum. This is a healthier, quicker, and hassle-free version of fried bhindi.
Hot Tip to make non slimy okra
Wash and dry the okra with a paper towel before cutting and cooking.Oil your hands before cutting to avoid
How to make Crispy Bhindi in Air Fryer
Step 1: Cut the okra
Wash the ladiesfinger(okra) and dry it with a paper towel. Whenever you cook okra, always dry it with a paper towel to avoid it getting slimy.
You want to cut the lady's finger lengthwise into two halves. Do not cut it too thin, as that tends to turn rubbery and burn quickly. If the okra is too long, you can half them.
Step 2: Toss in spices
Mix the ground spices- salt, turmeric, red chili, coriander, and mango powder with the chickpea and rice flour.
Toss the sliced bhindi in the spice mix and two tablespoons of water. Let it rest for 10 minutes before preheating the air fryer.
Step 3: Air fry
Add oil and give it another toss. Air fry for 10-15 minutes, moving the air fryer basket in between.
The okra should turn dark green, shrink in size, and have a bite to it.
How to serve Crispy Bhindi
This dish is best served straight from the air fryer. It tends to become chewy if kept for more than 1 hour, though you can quickly air fry it for a couple of minutes to bring it back to its former glory.
If you prefer to deep-fry, here is a deep-fried okra recipe.
I usually make this dish for lunch every day with plain rice and dal or as a side to my dal khichadi. OR with stuffed parathas like cheese paratha and zucchini paratha. You can store it for a couple of days, but air fry it before serving.
Another great short cut Indian recipe is my crispy baked masala potatoes.We have been loving it with everything!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 grams Okra Ladies finger/ Bhindi
- 5 Tablespoon Chickpea flour Besan
- 2 Tablespoon Rice Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
- ½ Teaspoon Chilli powder More if you like it spicy
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Mango powder/Amchur
- 2 Teaspoon Oil more if needed.
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the okra lenghtwise into two halves.
- In a bowl , mix the chickpea flour,rice flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, mango powder and salt in a bowl.
- Add the spice - chickpea flour mix to the okra slices, along with 2 tablespoons of water. Mix well till the okra is coated with flour. Set aside for 10 minutes so that coating has time to absorb the moisture.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F/ 200 C for 5 minutes.
- Add oil to the okra- chickpea flour mix. Toss.
- Air fry the okra for 15 minutes till the ends turn crispy and the okra turns dark green.Remember to toss the okra half way.
Notes
1. Always dry the okra before cutting it. Use a paper towel.
2. No not cover and cook in steam but instead roast it.
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