Information
Notes
I love this salad (called Kararee Bhindi in Hindu) of very thinly sliced (julienned) fried okra mixed with onions, tomatoes, and seasoning (including the magical chaat masala), and so, it seems, does everyone else who has tried it. It isn’t a traditional dish, but something Suvir and his family’s chef, Panditji, came up with together. Suvir says that no one slivers okra like this in India, that it is instead cut crosswise, and he asserts that the dish’s lack of trademark okra sliminess (which I happen to like) is a result of the way it’s cut (see Notes.)
This is a great dish on its own or together with the Tandoori Shrimp, as Suvir often serves it.
Ingredients
- Neutral oil, like corn or canola, for frying
- 1 pound okra, stemmed and julienned lengthwise
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 small or 1 medium tomato, cored, seeded, and julienned
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
- ½ lemon, or more as needed
- 1½ teaspoons Chaat Masala, storebought or homemade, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Directions
1. Heat at least 2 inches oil to 350°F (you can check this with a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer) in a countertop deep fryer or in a heavy pot on the stove.
2. Fry the julienned okra in batches small enough not to crowd your pan or fryer and make sure to let the oil return to temperature (350°F) between batches. Fry it until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes—the seeds will swell and it will be deeply colored at the edges—then transfer to drain on paper towels.
3. Toss the okra together with the onion, tomato, and cilantro, squeeze the lemon juice over all, and season to taste with Chaat Masala and salt.
Nutritional Information
Nutritional information does not include Chaat Masala. For nutritional information on Chaat Masala, please follow the link above.