Bharwa Bhindi (Stuffed Okra)

5 from 3 votes

Bharwa Bhindi is a popular Indian side dish prepared by stuffing okra with peanut and dry spice powders in air fryer and stovetop pan.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword air fryer bharwa bhindi, air fryer stuffed bhindi, bharwa bhindi

Diet Keto, Low Carb, Vegan

Method Air Fryer, Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 22

Servings

Calories 166kcal

Firstly, rinse bhindi and pat them dry with a clean towel. Cut the top and bottom part of the bhindi. Slit in between.
For making the masala for stuffing. Take a small bowl, add roasted peanut powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, amchur powder, fennel seeds powder, and salt. Mix well.
Next, add a tablespoon of oil and combine well. Oil is added to help spices stick to the bhindi when stuffed.
Stuff the prepared masala in the bhindi and keep it aside. Remove the large seeds from bhindi before stuffing if required.

Preheat the air fryer to 360°F (180°C). Add the stuffed okra to the air fryer basket and spread them in a single layer (cook in batches if required). Slightly brush or spray some oil on top.
Air fryer them at 360°F (180°C) for 10-12 minutes. Remove the basket at about 8 minutes and flip the bhindi. Brush some oil if you feel stuffed okra is dry.
Bharwa bhindi is ready to be served.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan on medium heat. Place the stuffed okra with stuffed side facing up in a single layer. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. After 2-3 minutes, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on low flame.
Then open the cover, gently flip the bhindi. Cover and cook from all sides for 5 to 6 minutes until it's tender and done.

Choose Fresh Okra: Choose fresh and tender okra to make this recipe.
Remove excess moisture: Make sure to pat dry the okra completely with a kitchen towel otherwise, it turns slimy while cooking.
Cook in batches: Make sure to spread the stuffed okra in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving some space between each other. Cook in batches if needed. For the stovetop version, It's important to cook stuffed bhindi on medium-low flame for even cooking of bhindi on all sides.
Spices: Adjust the spices according to your preference.

Bharwa Bhindi with Coconut: You can replace powdered peanuts with dried coconut or unsweetened desiccated coconut, along with dry spice powders for the stuffing. Or use a combination of coconut and peanut powder.
Bharwa Bhindi with Besan: You can also make Bharwa Bhindi with besan by replacing roasted peanut powder with besan (gram flour). You can roast besan on low flame till fragrant before adding.
Some people also use only dry spice powders for stuffing.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.