Bhindi DoPiyaz

Bhindi DoPiyaz translates to Okra with Two Onions. Tender fresh okra is cooked with two types of onions and aromatic masala. Normally one onion is quartered into petals and added towards the end for crunch and one onion is used as a base for flavor and body. For this recipe I went with two kinds of alliums; one onion and second leeks. Both are sautéed to create depth of flavor and a thick onion sauce. This dry curry is best served with any Indian style flatbread like chapati, roti, phulka or naan. It also makes an excellent side dish to pair with dal for a complete vegan meal.

Ingredients

• Okra/ Bhindi/ Ladyfingers:  Called by different names, in America its okra. Look for slender, fresh dark green pods. Fresh ones are crisp and snap easily, their seeds are soft and edible. To know more about okra, preparing and cooking see full details below.
• Oil: Traditionally, okra is best cooked with mustard oil. Mustard oil has unique and strong flavor a bit like sesame oil which has its own strong flavor. It is an acquired taste, if you’re uptown the challenge I highly recommend you try it. However, any neural high quality vegetable oil will work. If you choose to use mustard oil, make sure to heat it until it smokes. 
• Cumin seeds: When sautéed in hot oil, cumin adds a delightful flavor and aroma to the dish. 
• Chillies: I use Thai green chili for an extra kick. Jalapeño, serrano peppers or ground cayenne works just as well. 
• Curry Leaves: this highly aromatic herb adds a unique flavor, if its hard to find leave it out. This dish will still be delicious.
• Alliums: I used one yellow onion and one medium leek, if you want to stick to traditional use 2 medium yellow or red onions.
• Aromatics: Turmeric, asafetida/Hing, ground coriander are the spices you’ll need. Amchur or ground dried green mango is used to add some tart-sour component to the recipe. alternatively use sumac or lemon juice.

Working with Okra

• Wash and Dry: Wash and rinse the whole okra pods. Pat them dry with paper or kitchen towel, and leave them to air dry for a few minutes. You can also rinse and leave them to air dry overnight on a kitchen towel. 
• Slicing: Cut the top and bottom ends and discard them off. Then slice them into one inch or smaller pieces.
• Cooking: Stir fry the okra along with the spices, this way the pods are cooked tender but still crisp. This is a dry curry meaning no sauce.
• Adding an Acidic component: To prevent the dreaded okra slime– adding a sour, acidic ingredient will reduce the slime. Ingredients like lime or lemon juice, amchur, sumac, or tomatoes will help.
• Frozen Okra: in my opinion fresh is the best, frozen does work, but lacks the fresh crisp texture. I understand fresh is not available many places and can be a bit pricey, in that case frozen is an alternative option. To cook from frozen thaw the pods, drain in a colander and pat/dab dry with a paper towel very very well. Stir fry the okra uncovered so all the moisture evaporates .And make sure to the acidic component I mentioned before right at the end.
• Keeping Okra Green: Overcooking and cooking with a lid to braise will leave your okra brown and lose its vibrant green color. Cooking with the lid for a brief few minutes is okay, but for extended period is not advised. Also, adding an acidic ingredient such as lime juice at the end will help retain color.. 
• How to prevent Okra from getting slimy: Once you cut the okra do not introduce water. Add salt towards the end when the natural moisture of fresh okra has cooked off. If salt is added in the early stages of cooking it releases moisture turning the okra slimy. So do the washing before you slice the okra.