Farali Bhinda / Bhindi Capsicum – Spicy Okra, Capsicum And Peanut Stir-fry Without Onion

Farali Bhinda Capsicum is easy to prepare, flavourful and a delicious sabji without onion and garlic, thus it can be eaten while you keep fast. Fresh and tender Bhinda cooked in aromatic Gujrati Masala with capsicum and tomatoes and garnished with roasted peanuts and fresh coriander leaves for extra flavour and crunch.

Okra also known as ‘lady’s fingers’ and has long been favoured as a good food for the health conscious. It contains many vitamins and minerals, also low in calories and high in dietary fibre and proven to have a positive effect on lowering blood sugar level and dietary fibre to promote better glycemic control and improve insulin sensitivity.

So I followed my aunty’s recipe, but made a couple of changes and added capsicum and tomatoes and sprinkled some roasted peanuts. Once again this dish was purely enjoyable without any guilt and was fulfilling.

You will need :-

• 250 g tender okra cut lengthwise
• 75 g green capsicum cut lengthwise
• 50 g tomatoes roughly chopped
• 3 + 1 tbsp. oil
• Cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• 3-4 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 3 tbsp. desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tsp. red chilli powder
• Pinch sugar
• 1/2 tsp. amchoor powder or lemon juice.
• 1 tbsp. crushed green chilli
• 2 tbsp. ground coriander and cumin
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder ( If you are eating during fast )

Method:- Thoroughly wash and pat dry okra. Cut off the top and cut into two halves lengthwise. In a bowl mix 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, coconut, sesame, red chillli powder, salt, coriander and cumin. turmeric, sugar, 1 tbsp. oil and crushed green chilli. Mix well and leave it aside. Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds once it crackles add cut okra. Keep heat medium and stir-fry okra for 7-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it, do not let burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Once you see stickiness is reducing , add capsicum and prepared masala mix. Again keep stirring gently for 3-4 minutes. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook further for couple of minutes. By now okra must be done. Add amchoor powder or lemon juice, and roasted peanuts. Garnish it with fresh chopped coriander and serve hot. This dish can be paired with Daal, plain rice and round and soft Gujarati rotlis . ( I served mine with Farali Roti )

Instant Raiti Gor Keri , is a lavishly sweet, sumptuous and an aromatic Gujarati sweet and Spicy Mango Pickle. This finger-licking pickle is prepared with raw mangoes, jaggery and a few whole spices and is ready in less than half an hour and can be eaten on the same day.

Without Gor Keri, gujarati thepla , poori, bhakhri or paratha are incomplete. This recipe is a speedy version of the traditional Gujarati Gor Keri which is prepared under the sun and can be ready in 2-3 weeks.

If you are an Indian, no matter whichever part of India you might come from, pickle is likely to have been a part of your food memories.

Pickle plays a very important part in Indian cuisine and as a tasty accompaniment capable of weathering long journeys. In western countries, it also plays the role of an appetiser with papadam.

At this time of the year my grandma would be on one mission for sure and that was MISSON PICKLE!

She was busy buying the best raw mangoes and other ingredients for various pickles such as Keri No Chundo , Keri nu Khatu Athanu and Raiti Gor Keri. Obviously, all of them were prepared under the scorching sun in Gujarat, India.

Being Gujju we love to relish a couple of types of Mango pickles with Khichdi and Indian bread. I do not prepare too many pickles here or if I do make then only in small quantities including this mild and sweet relish Keri No Murabbo or Murabba.

A few years back my Dad was so smitten by my grandma’s homemade Gor Keri, that she sent it all the way from India again.

He persuaded my mum to prepare this pickle at home while the sky was full of rain-bearing clouds.

Instant Gor Keri turned out so delicious.

That is the joy of making an instant pickle at home, you do not worry about the weather yet you can have deliciously wonderful pickles ready to enjoy.

Generally, Gor Keri nu Athanu ( Gor-Jaggery, Keri-Mango ) is prepared with Rai and Methi Na Kuria ( split Mustard and Fenugreek seeds ) but my grandma used to prepare only with Rai Na Kuria thus I called this pickle Raiti Gor Keri!

INSTANT RAITI GOR KERI

ingredients:

• 250 g raw mango
• 250 g grated jaggery
• 25 g dried dates – kharek
• 2 tbsp. Oil
• 50 g rai na kuria – split mustard seeds
• Pinch Hing
• 2-3 tbsp. red Chilli Powder
• 1 tbsp. crushed coriander seeds – Suka Dhana
• 1 tbsp. whole black pepper – Kala Mari
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds – Variyali-saunf
• 1 tsp. cloves – Laving
• 25 g Salt
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder

instructions:

How to cook INSTANT RAITI GOR KERI

1. Soak dried dates into warm water for 5 minutes, discard the water, pat dry and cut into small pieces.
2. Wash, pat dry and cut mangoes into cubes.
3. Place in a bowl, add salt and turmeric powder, mix well and leave for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add one tsp. oil into rai na kuria, and mix vigorously for 5 minutes.
5. Add, mix red chilli powder, hing and whole spices in a bowl. Leave it aside.
6. Steam the mango cubes for 5-6 minutes or cook in M/W for 3-4 minutes.
7. Place steamed mango cubes in a big bowl and mix in grated jaggery and soaked dried date pieces.
8. Gently keep mixing the mixture till jaggery well combined with mango cubes.
9. Heat oil in a small pan until it reaches smoking point.
10. Let the oil cool completely.
11. Add red chilli and whole spices mixture into mango and jaggery.
12. Mix well, once oil is cooled, add oil and mix well.
13. Leave it to cool completely.
14. Once cool store in a sterile jar.
15. Enjoy!

NOTES:

Did you make this recipe?