Kurkuri bhindi is a crispy, battered okra dish. The classic North Indian dish is typically deep-fried, but this version is made in the air fryer. Kurkuri bhindi is a great way to eat okra because this dish makes it crispy, removing any potential sliminess.
Ingredients
Okra – here, it is sliced thinly, quartered, or halved, depending on the size of your okra. I have used both fresh and frozen, and they both work well. Be sure to use “baby okra” if you can find it.
Besan – chickpea (gram) flour, commonly used in bhajiya and other battered dishes
Rice flour – helps give it a crispy texture
Garam masala – the spice blend to get that “Indian” flavor
Turmeric
Lemon Juice
Serving
Kurkuri bhindi is eaten as a shaak. Serve it as a complete meal with flatbread, rice, another shaak, chana dal, and a chutney, such as green chutney or tamarind chutney.
Another way to eat kurkuri bhindi is to treat them like okra fries. Serve them as an appetizer. As a finger food they are great with ketchup or chutney.
Cooking Tips
- For the air fryer, make sure there is room for the okra to crisp up. This amount of okra fits perfectly in our air fryer, which is a 6-quart air fryer. The okra overlapped a bit but was not tightly packed, and as they cooked and lost moisture, they shrunk enough to separate for good airflow and even cooking.
- If deep frying, be sure to use a neutral, high smoke point oil
- You can skip the rice flour if you don’t have it. It just helps with the crispiness
- Cut the okra into quarters or halves, depending on your desired texture. Use larger pieces to have a little chewiness in the middle.
Kurkuri Bhindi | Air Fryer Fried Okra
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz okra
- ¼ cup besan chickpea flour
- 1 Tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
Instructions
- Cut okra into thin strips, either half or quarter the okra.
- Sprinkle okra with lemon juice and salt, and spray with oil. Mix well.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl. Mix well so the okra is well covered. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the batter to moisten.
- Transfer the okra to the air fryer. Do not over-crowd the okra. Spray with oil. Cook at 360°F for 9-12 minutes, stirring halfway through.