Okra Bharta (Bhende Bharth)

V’s grandmother mentioned about this dish during our last India trip, somehow it had slipped out of my mind. Cooked okra is mixed with raw onion, coconut and some other ingredients to make this delicious bharth. It makes a great combination with some spicy papad(happal). This is a classic Konkani recipe. It can be made with roasted eggplant(brinjal), cooked okra or some other vegetables.

I personally didn’t care much for it because of the raw onion. So aayi makes any bharth without onion for me and with onion for everyone else. So if you are a raw onion hater like me, go ahead and leave it out.

Ingredients:
2 cups okra(bhinde/bhende) cut into pieces
1/4 cups fresh/frozen coconut
1/4 cup chopped onion
A pinch asafoetida(optional)
4 green chillies
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract
Oil
Salt

Method:
Heat a little oil and fry okra for 5-6mins. Then add very little water and let it cook. (Traditionally it is not fried, just cooked with little water, but since it becomes too slimy that way, I fried it before adding water. Alternatively, okra could be steamed without adding any water).
In a bowl, mix coconut, onion with green chillies, tamarind, asafoetida(optional). Mix very well using your fingers. Now add the cooked okra and mix well, mashing the okra a bit. Serve with papad as a side dish.

Serves : 1-2
Preparation time : 15mins

Pictorial –

15 thoughts on “Okra Bharta (Bhende Bharth)”

  1. Looks nice. I have not tasted this before. Definitely try tonight. It is nice that you are showing the pictorial recipe. By this we will come to know the appearence of the end product. Thanks.

  2. There is a similar pacchadi made out of roasted happolu. The okra is substituted by crushed red chillies happolu. That one is very tasty .

  3. you are my saving grace!!! thanks for the lovely recipes…will definitely try this recipe next…right now i am trying out your veg and egg pulav…thanks again:)

  4. hi shilpa your recipe looks yummy bcoz ilove bendi and raw onion.thank u so much.is it necessary to add water usuall we fry bhendy,by adding water it become slimy

  5. Hi Shilpa,

    This is a great recipe.

    Perhaps you could try adding little bit of tamarind in the water when you are cooking the okra. That helps okra cook with the slimy texture and it tastes great since tamarind gets absorbed in the okra. thanks for the great recipes you have here.

    Medha

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