Bhindi rice/ Okra rice/ Vendakkai rice is a quick and easy to make rice that can be prepared either with fresh or left over rice. This is a gluten-free, and vegan simple one-pot meal. It involves just tossing of rice in spicy tempered okra mixture. Bhindi rice is yummy tasting masala flavored rice with simple ingredients, making it easy even for beginners to cook. When you want to cook something really quick for dinner or lunch, this can be the easiest meal you can prepare. Good for lunch boxes.

You can use fresh or frozen baby okra/bhindi for this recipe. I added red chilly powder and a little garam masala in the recipe below, but you may use your choice of masalas and quantity of masalas according to your taste.

Lets get to the making!

How to make Bhindi / Okra Rice

PREP TIME: 5 MINS COOK TIME: 20 MINS TOTAL TIME: 25 MINS COURSE: MAIN COURSE CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN SERVINGS : 4

Ingredients

Basmati rice -2 cups, rinse & cook before hand
okra (bendakayalu or lady’s fingers) – 3-4 cups
onion – 1 md or 1/2 cup
tomato – 2 sm or 1 cup
Kashmiri red chilly powder – 1-2 tsp (adjust)
coriander (dhania) powder – 2 tsp
turmeric – 1/2 tsp
garam masala – 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste or ginger paste – 1-2 tsp
oil –
salt
cashew nuts – few (opt)
sesame seeds – 2 tsp (opt)

Instructions

Rinse and cook rice with a teaspoon of oil and a squirt of lemon juice (oil and lemon juice helps the rice grains to be long and separate). Then let it cool.
Cut okra in any size you like, chop onions in slices, chop tomatoes. Note: You can also use frozen baby bhindi, no need to cut them.
Heat a wide pan with 2 tbsp oil, add cut okra. Fry them on medium till the okra is nicely cooked and till the stickiness is gone (do not over fry or cook).
Sprinkle little salt and turmeric, mix well and keep aside for later use.
In the same pan, add 3-4 tbsp oil, add 1 tsp urad dal(black gram), 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp jeera(cumin), few curry leaves and 2 dry red chilies.
After the urad dal turned golden brown, add few broken cashew nuts. If you don’t like nuts, you can omit.
Now add thinly sliced onion, and 2 slit green chilies. Sauté till the onions turn translucent.
Then add 1-2 tsp ginger paste and sauté till the raw smell gone.
Now add tomatoes, cover and cook them for 2 mins.
Add red chilly powder, salt, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix and cook until the oil floats.
Add rice and mix gently.
Lastly add fried okra to the rice. Combine everything well.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with papad or khichiya on side.

Tips

Fresh or frozen bhindi/okra can be used.
Fresh or leftover rice can be used.
You may use your choice of masalas and adjust the quantities of spices according to your spice level.
Cashew nuts and sesame seeds are optional, can be omitted.

Step by step photo instructions

Rinse and cook rice with a teaspoon of oil and a squirt of lemon juice (oil and lemon juice helps the rice grains to be long and separate). Then let it cool.
Cut okra in any size you like, chop onions in slices, chop tomatoes. Note: You can also use frozen baby bhindi, no need to cut them.
Heat a wide pan with 2 tbsp oil, add cut okra. Fry them on medium till the okra is nicely cooked and till the stickiness is gone (do not over fry or cook).
Sprinkle little salt and turmeric, mix well and keep aside.

5. In the same pan, add 3-4 tbsp oil, add 1 tsp urad dal(black gram), 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp jeera(cumin), few curry leaves and 2 dry red chilies.

6. After the urad dal turned golden brown, add few broken cashew nuts. If you don’t like nuts, you can omit.

7. Now add thinly sliced onion, and 2 slit green chilies. Sauté till the onions turn translucent.

8. Then add 1-2 tsp ginger paste and sauté till the raw smell gone.

9. Now add tomatoes, cover and cook them for 2 mins.

10. Add 1-2 tsp red chilly powder, salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala. Mix and cook until the tomatoes are mushy and oil floats.