Dislike strongly flavoured okra dishes? Try this Kashmiri Bhindi-Okra! A light, quick and vegan dish that is sure to tickle your fancy. It also works just as well as a side dish. Do not underrate okra, because let me tell you this sensational preparation is going to knock your socks off!
Okra or ladies fingers are known as Bhindi/Bhinda in Hindi and are a hugely popular vegetable in Indian kitchens.
Although some have a love/hate relationship with okra, the majority of Indian kitchens always welcome okra once in a week.
I have seen families where one won’t like okra, but the other member can’t get enough of it. In our family, also there is the same opinion, one like it, one doesn’t but we have come to decide that no one has to love okra, but think of health benefits and just eat it and it works fine.
KASHMIRI BHINDI
The Kashmiri Bhindi is a mild spice preparation cooked with fresh okra, onion and a special blend called ‘Kashmiri Masala’. It is dry and it is quite different from the other popular Bhindi/Okra recipes out there. Kashmiri Bhindi is flavoursome yet light without any overpowering flavours. Definitely, do not require tons of spices and ingredients and also comes together in less than 10 minutes on the table (when you have already cut bhindi). This vegan, gluten-free and straight forward recipe is perfect with robust dishes such as Daal Makhni , Dhaba style daal fry or Rajma ( Red Kidney Beans Curry ), plain rice and Roti .
KASHMIRI MASALA
India is a huge country with a population of 1.3 billion and 29 states, although every region of India is connected with the curry, every region has their own methods of cooking and blend of spices. There are various blends of spices you can find like Punjabi Masala, Hydrabadi Masala, Amritsari Masala, South Indian Masala and Kashmiri Masala. In this masala blend, most of the ingredients are same but there is a one or two special ingredient from that region makes that blend unique.
Kashmiri or Bassar Masala is a fragrant blend of spices consists of fenugreek seeds powder, turmeric, cumin and coriander, Kashmiri red chilli powder, tandoori masala powder, paprika and olive oil.
KASHMIRI BHINDI INGREDIENTS
Bhindi/Okra – When you choose the bhindi, look out for firm, fresh and bright green colour bhindi. If the end snap of easily, the bhindi is at it’s freshest. When preparing the bhindi at home, rub lemon juice over the knife to prevent sticking and make sure the bhindi is dry before cutting.
Kashmiri Masala – It is easily available in any Indian/Pakistani grocery shop. Maybe in Pakistani shop, it is known as Bassar Masala. This masala can be prepared at home.
Onion – You can use white or red onion for this recipe.
Oil – Any flavourless oil works fine.
Spices – Apart from Kashmiri masala you will need ground cumin and coriander.
Green Chillies and Coriander and Asafoetida ( Hing )
HOW TO MAKE KASHMIRI BHINDI
First, prepare the okra by washing them in running water and completely dry it with the kitchen towel. Cut into 1/2″ pieces. Heat oil in a kadai or heavy bottom pan, add asafoetida, then chopped onion and fry just a couple of minutes. Add okra pieces and cook both on high heat for at least 5 minutes. Keep stirring. Add ground cumin and coriander, green chillies and salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in fresh coriander leaves and cook further 2-3 minutes or you see onion getting brown and caramelised. Add Kashmiri masala, mix well and cook another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve hot.
Kashmiri Bhindi
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh bhindi/okra
- 1 big chopped onion
- 3-4 green chillies roughly chopped
- 2 TSP. ground cumin and coriander
- 2-3 TBSP oil
- Pinch asafoetida
- 1 TBSP. Kashmiri masala
- 3-4 TBSP. freshly chopped coriander leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- First prepare the okra by washing them in running water and dry completely.
- Cut into 1/2″ pieces.
- Heat oil in a kadai or heavy bottom pan, add asafoetida, then chopped onion and fry until translucent.
- Add okra pieces and cook both on high heat for at least 5 minutes. Keep stirring.
- Add ground cumin and coriander, green chillies and salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in fresh coriander leaves and cook further 2-3 minutes or you see onion getting brown and caramelised.
- Add Kashmiri masala, mix well and cook another 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and serve hot.
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Kashmiri Bhindi
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh bhindi/okra
- 1 big chopped onion
- 3-4 green chillies roughly chopped
- 2 TSP. ground cumin and coriander
- 2-3 TBSP oil
- Pinch asafoetida
- 1 TBSP. Kashmiri masala
- 3-4 TBSP. freshly chopped coriander leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- First prepare the okra by washing them in running water and dry completely.
- Cut into 1/2″ pieces.
- Heat oil in a kadai or heavy bottom pan, add asafoetida, then chopped onion and fry until translucent.
- Add okra pieces and cook both on high heat for at least 5 minutes. Keep stirring.
- Add ground cumin and coriander, green chillies and salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in fresh coriander leaves and cook further 2-3 minutes or you see onion getting brown and caramelised.
- Add Kashmiri masala, mix well and cook another 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and serve hot.
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Have an awesome Valentine’s day with these quintessentialAlmond French Toast Hearts!By creating these toasts you are going to start your day with so much fun. These eggless and adorable heart-shape french toasts have rich almond, vanilla and cinnamon flavours. A perfect way to say ‘ I love you’ to your loved ones!
The Valentine’s day is looming on us and I bet you are looking for Valentine theme recipes? That’s brilliant because I have created this wonderful recipe that is not only you’d want to have it on this special day, but you’ll have cravings for it every day! But I think a special treat like this almond french toast hearts which are fluffy and tender inside and golden crisp on the outside and that too loaded with crème fraiche plus refreshing mixed berry compote and honey should be kept for special days like Vday, Mother’s day and Father’s day to enjoy with pleasure – creating recipes like this for a special day we all cherish those special memories with loved ones. Are you with me on this thought?
More Valentine’s Day recipes:- Pistachio Shortbread | Bombay Ice and Golden Halwa | Chocolate and Salted Peanut Shortbread | Non-alcoholic Green Apple Martini
CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST
Classic french toast recipe is a hugely popular, easy and delicious breakfast or brunch dish. The classic french toast is prepared with stale white bread slice, dipped or soaked in the mixture of eggs and milk or cream, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Then soaked bread is fried in butter or olive oil until golden brown and cooked through. Then the cooked french toast is served with fresh or stewed fruit, sugar or honey and crème fraiche.
WHAT IS ALMOND FRENCH TOAST
There is no such classic almond french toast recipe out there, but I just experimented a recipe when I had leftover white bread and a half tin of custard. We all wanted to indulge in french toast, being a Lacto vegetarian myself I wanted an egg-free french toast with a bit of protein punch, thus here we have OH-SO-DELICIOUS almond french toast.
In this recipe instead of egg custard, we have a custard prepared with readymade egg-free custard, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and almond flour. Then fried on a pan with butter and served with mixed berry compote (I had plenty frozen mixed berries laying around in the freezer) crème fraiche and honey with generously sprinkled icing sugar.
VEGAN ALMOND FRENCH TOAST
Good news for vegans, this recipe can be adapted for vegans by switching over with some ingredients. To make a vegan custard, replace readymade custard with vegan custard or make vegan custard at home. Mix custard (most of the brands are egg and dairy free) powder in dairy-free milk, add sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and almond flour. Fry the toasts in flavourless oil and serve with fruit, vegan cream and maple syrup or agave syrup.
WHAT GOES IN ALMOND FRENCH TOAST
Readymade eggfree Custard Bread – A thick sliced white loaf, a day old bread is even better for this recipe as stale bread holds together better for the custard soak. Milk or Cream – Choose either or both. Almond flour Cinnamon powder Vanilla extrac t Mixed berries (Blueberry, Strawberry and Raspberry) Honey Icing sugar or Powdered sugar
HOW TO MAKE ALMOND FRENCH TOAST
First place mixed berries in a saucepan with little water and let it cook for 8-10 minutes. In a shallow dish or bowl combine custard, cream, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and almond flour. With the heart cookie cutter cut the bread slices or include your little ones to create freestyle heart cutouts that can be even more whimsical and interesting. Heat butter or oil in a frying pan, dip the cutout bread slices in the custard mixture less than 30 seconds each side. Fry the toast in heated butter until golden brown both side. It will take 4-5 minutes. Serve HOT.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Once these are prepared with so much care now serve with lots of love, also I bet you won’t be able to decide that you should serve as a Valentine breakfast or dessert…whenever you serve but I am sure this will be your favourite, creamiest and delicious french toast ever.
Have fun in serving this, pile the hearts around the plate or stack them high. Place the hearts, berry compote and creme fraiche wherever they look right to you. Let your imagination run away, then let it snow with a sifting of icing sugar.
Almond French Toast Hearts
ingredients
1/4 cup readymade custard*
4 TBSP. single cream
4-5 TBSP milk
1/2 TSP. cinnamon powder
1/4 TSP. vanilla extract
2 TBSP. almond flour/meal
8 thick bread slices
2-3 TBSP. butter or flavourless oil
1 cup mixed berries- fresh or frozen
Creme fraiche
Icing sugar
Honey or maple syrup
Shallow Dish
Balloon whisk or spoon
Saucepan
Heart shape cookie cutter
Non-stick frying pan
Spatula
instructions
Combine everything with the whisk in a shallow dish and leave it aside.
Place the berries in a pan add just a couple of tablespoons of water and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
Leave it aside for later use.
Cut out 8 large and 8 small hearts from 8 slices of bread white bread.
Heat some oil or butter in a frying pan, keep heat low to medium at this stage.
Dip the bread in the custard mix not more than 30 seconds both sides.
Then fry for 1 minute each side until lightly golden.
Serve hot with creme fraiche, icing sugar, berry compote and honey or maple syrup.
NOTES:
Don't have readymade custard? No worries, just mix custard powder in milk and cream.
