This popular South Asian curry, Bhindi Masala (Air Fryer Okra Curry) has a cooking time of just 20 minutes. Air-fried Okra replaces the traditional method of frying the Bhindi in oil. The result is a curry that is just as delicious as the original but much crispier and healthier.
Pakistani cuisine has a wide array of these delicious vegetable dry curries, such as zucchini curry, meat & cauliflower curry, and easy eggplant curry.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients - There are no complex spices or ingredients in this recipe. Everything needed for the Bhindi Masala is a supermarket staple.
- Healthy recipe - The air fryer makes this a much healthier version of the traditional okra curry, so you can enjoy it guilt-free.
- Crispy Okra - No one likes slimy Okra and with this Air fryer recipe at your fingertips, you'll never have to worry about it again.
- Suitable for all diets - Dietary restrictions? This Bhindi Masala recipe has you covered. It's vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and low-carb.
The ingredients
- Okra - For best results, try and find Okra that's small, and has thin skin. The taste and final result of your Air fryer Okra curry will be much better.
- Onions - Yellow onions are always what I use in my curries.
- Tomatoes - Roma tomatoes melt easily and work best for Pakistani curries.
- Dried pomegranate seeds - These are not essential but add a lot of flavor to the Bhindi Masala if you can source them easily.
- Red chili powder - If you can't find red chili powder then use cayenne as a substitute for this recipe.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions & variations
- Make a restaurant-style bhindi - Add some garam masala and coriander powder along with a tempering of cumin seeds and mustard seeds for a bolder flavor to your bhindi masala.
- Deep fry the bhindi - Deep fry the Okra in well-heated oil as per the traditional method. This immediately dehydrates it and removes all moisture. Thus, the slime is gone and you have deliciously crispy bhindi!
- Bake the bhindi - No air fryer? You can still keep this recipe on the healthier side by baking the okra at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
- Pomegranate seed substitutes - Can't source pomegranate seeds but want that tangy flavor? Try amchur powder or sumac powder for this air fryer curry instead.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1 - Cut the Okra into thin long pieces and then toss it in a few tablespoons of cooking oil. Preheat your Air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then air fry the bhindi in it for 15 minutes.
Step 2 - To start cooking the bhindi masala, take a few tablespoons of oil and heat them well. Add in the garlic paste and sauté it for a few minutes to let it bloom.
Step 3 - Add in thinly sliced onions and start to saute them. For this Air fryer Okra curry, there's no need to caramelize the onions. Just cook them till they become translucent.
Step 4 - Toss in the tomatoes next and saute the mixture till they start to sweat. Stir, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, till the tomatoes release their water and start to melt.
Step 5 - At this point, uncover your cooking pot and add in the spice powders.
Step 6 - Add the sliced green chilies next and saute for a few minutes.
Step 7 - Cook all of the ingredients till the water evaporates. This is more of a stir fry than a traditional curry so there's no need to blend all of the ingredients, just remove all excess liquid.
Step 8 - Next, add in the tablespoon of dried pomegranate seeds, followed by the air-fried chopped bhindi. Turn off the stove, add in the lemon juice and cilantro, and serve your bhindi masala with fresh hot naan.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to source the right Okra - Half the job is done if you start out with fresh, small, tender okra. The skin should be thin and shiny and there should be no visible bruises on it. The okra pod should be firm to the touch. The smaller the bhindi, the smaller the seeds, resulting in less slime and a shorter cooking time for the bhindi masala.
- Make sure the bhindi is totally dry before you cut it - Wash your fresh vegetables well, pat them dry, and let them air dry for a while so there is absolutely no moisture on them. This will help them crisp up better.
- Cut the bhindi thin - While many recipes will tell you to cut 1-inch pieces, I slice my okra very thin. I find that it gets much crispier this way.
- Cooking the bhindi - Spread the bhindi in an even layer if you are baking or air frying it to insure it crisps up quicker. If frying it, make sure the oil is preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding in the Okra.
Recipe FAQS
The secret to a good Okra curry is bhindi which is dry before you cook it. Frozen bhindi has moisture on it so it does not crisp up as well as fresh okra. I recommend fresh okra for this air fryer Okra recipe.
This okra recipe is one of those easy recipes that work well as a great vegetarian main served with some dal or raita. If you’re a meat eater then this bhindi masala makes a great side dish for a meat main with some basmati rice or tandoori roti.
It’s best to cook and eat the bhindi fresh. It will stay ok in the fridge for 1-3 days but I don’t recommend freezing it at all as it won't stay fresh.
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Bhindi Masala (Air Fryer Okra Curry)
Ingredients
- 1 lb bhindi/okra
- ½ cup avocado oil (see notes)
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 yellow onion (see notes)
- 4 tomatoes (see notes)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp anar dana (optional)
- 1 lemon (see notes)
- ½ cup cilantro
Instructions
- Wash the bhindi/okra and set it out to dry on a clean dish towel. (see notes)
- Cut off the ends of the okra and discard and chop the remaining bhindi into thin slices and set aside. (see notes)
- Slice the onions and Roma tomatoes.
- Preheat the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes
- Toss the okra in ¼ cup oil and air fry for 15 minutes {see notes)
- While the okra is air frying, heat the remaining ¼ cup cooking oil in a large skillet.
- Add the garlic paste and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Saute the onions in the oil till they are translucent.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a few minutes.
- Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer till the tomatoes release water and cook down (about 10 minutes).
- After about 10 minutes, uncover, turn on high and add in the salt, red chilli powder and turmeric.
- Stir and cook till all the water evaporates and you have a dry curry paste.
- Add in the Anar Dana if you're using it, stir, and then add in the air-fried okra.
- Stir just till the okra is covered in the cooked curry.
- Turn the stove off, squeeze the juice of the lemon on top add in the cilantro, stir, and serve! (see notes)
Very easy to make and tasted good. Will be adding this to my vegetarian repertoire.
Thank You for trying the recipe and reviewing it! Glad you liked it!