Bendakaya fry or Bendakaya vepudu translates to okra fry. Don’t get misled by the word fry. Here the word ‘fry’ does not mean deep frying. But sauteing the okra until it is perfectly cooked. Besides okra the other ingredients are also sauteed. There are different versions of making this Andhra style okra fry. What I am sharing is the simplest version. I have already shared a few more versions of bhindi fry like:
Bhindi Fry Kurkuri bhindi Ladies finger fry – North Indian style.
Most of the stir fry recipes made with veggies are easy and quick to make. So is this recipe which is not spicy and tastes good. In this dish, some roasted sesame powder or roasted peanuts can be added. Even fresh grated coconut can be also added. This bendakaya vepudu can be served hot or warm as a side dish with Sambar, Rasam or dal. You can also have it with chapati or paratha. With some soft chapatis, this Andhra recipe of bendakaya fry also makes for a good tiffin box brunch or lunch.
How to make Bendakaya Fry
- Rinse and wipe dry 250 grams bendakaya (okra or bhindi) with a clean kitchen towel. Then slice the bendakaya into rounds of 0.5 to 0.75 inches. Keep aside. Before chopping make sure that there is no water or moisture on the okra pods. They should be thoroughly dried. Also the okra should be green and tender. 250 grams bendakaya gives about 2 heaped cups of chopped bendakaya. 2. in a shallow frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Lower the heat and add the following ingredients:
½ teaspoon mustard seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon urad dal (split and husked black gram)
- Saute till the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal turns golden.
- Next add 2 dry red chilies (broken and deseeded). Saute for a second or two till the red chilies change color. Instead of red chilies you can also add slit or chopped 1 to 2 green chilies.
- Then add ½ cup chopped onion. 6. Stir and mix well.
- Saute the onions till they turn translucent stirring often on low heat.
- Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). For a more spicy taste, you can add 1 teaspoon red chili powder.
- Stir and mix the spice powders with the rest of the ingredients.
Making bendakaya fry
- Add the chopped bendakaya and 8 to 10 curry leaves.
- Stir and mix everything.
- Add salt as per taste. 13. Stir and mix well again and saute on a low heat without covering the pan with a lid. 14. Keep on stirring at intervals of 3 to 4 minutes for uniform and even cooking. 15. Switch off the heat when the bendakaya is done and cooked well. This takes about 12 to 14 minutes on a low heat. 16. Garnish with coriander leaves and then Serve bendakaya vepudu hot as a side dish with curd-rice, sambar-rice or rasam-rice. You can also serve it with chapati or plain paratha. It can also be packed for a lunch box with a side of soft roti or paratha. More Tasty Bhindi recipes Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Bharwa Bhindi (Stuffed Okra) Bhendi Chi Bhaji (Bhindi Bhaji) Bhindi Masala Recipe (Punjabi Style) Bhindi Do Pyaza This Bendakaya Fry Post from the blog archives, first published in December 2015 has been republished and updated on December 2022.
