Kurkuri Bhindi – Vendakkai Pakoda – Okra Fries

Kurkuri Bhindi – ada 😆 namma vendakka pakoda pa ithu… googlekaga bhindi kurkure title… 😀 Do you crave for crispy ladysfinger chips ? then you are in  the right place… normally they don’t stay crisp for long that’s the complaint i get a lot and this one will prove that wrong! This recipe will keep them good for a long time and I am the living proof munching on it right now which i made a few ago and posted on Instagram. Remember no rice flour in this recipe… if you wish to, then add only fine ground rice flour, store bought will leave dark spots when frying. Lets get straight to the recipe….

Here is a microwave version if you want to try… Microwave Okra Chips there is another version using rice flour… try that OKRA FRITTERS

There are a bunch of OKRA recipes in our page please check it out… some of my favorites are VENDAKKAI KARA KUZHAMBU , VENDAKKAI MOR KUZHAMBU, BHARWAN BHINDI

Ingredients

• Bhindi / Okra / Vendakkai – 30
• Corn flour – 1/4 cup for dusting
• Gram flour – 1/2 cup
• Red Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida – 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt – 3/4 teaspoon
• Water – 1 tablespoon
• Oil – 2 cups for deep frying

Lets see how to make this Kurkuri Bhindi…

Rule 1 – Do not wash the Bhindi / okra / Vendakkai…. Just wipe off the dirt with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Or if you still want it clean… then wash and rinse the previous night and let it stay overnight on a towel to dry out completely.

Chop the top and bottom of the bhindi and cut into thin strips… again place them over a towel and let them dry out for 30 minutes. Those will be very sticky when cutting… so let them air dry like shown above. Cut them as thin as possible…

Dust the strips with the corn flour. Don’t use your hand… just give it a shake to coat all over. Again let it rest.

Pick a plastic box with lid so you can use it up for shaking and mixing. I used a take out box. Combine gram flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.

Put all the corn flour-ed bhindi in the box along with the dry powder mix.

Put the lid on and shake it up to coat all over.

Once you open it will have all the masala powder coated.

Now sprinkle that water.

Again put the lid on and shake shake shake.

It will look like this when you open. Keep it ready.

Heat oil and start frying those in small batches. The oil should be hot when you put the fries but will have to reduce the heat and fry over low medium flame. Also you need to separate those fries if they are sticking together or else it won’t cook evenly. (frying over low flame is the key) Fry them till all the hiss sounds subsides…and at a point they will float pointless in the oil that’s when you take them out.

Fry them till golden brown and let drain all the excess oil. Cool them completely before storing in an air-tight container.

There you go…. crispy fries that will stay crisp for more than a week.

Notes

• Makes 500 grams approx. or just one full take out box.
• Like I said no rice flour, or you may have to face the consequences.
• May be if you wish to finish the same day then add rice flour and extra water and make the dough.
• I guarantee a 100 % that this will remain crisp for a week if made as told.
• For variation you may add sesame seeds or cumin seeds or ajwain.
• Fry some curry leaves and top it off for decorations.