I know of one too many individuals who are petrified of cooking with Okra or Lady’s finger (i.e. the popular Bhindi in Indian cuisine). Some find it difficult to chop and clean with the tiny seeds sticking to the knife in slime. Then there are some individuals who also find it too slimy to eat. I do think some of these issues are legit. However I am convinced below is the best spicy roasted okra recipe I have every cooked.
To start with, it does remove some of the knife-covered-in-slime issues. This is a one tray spicy roasted okra recipe perfect as a main dish or as a side. It uses a blend of spices that lifts the flavours to a whole new level. The roasted okra adds in adequate crunch without the deep frying issues. Further this is a quick and easy recipe using fuss-free ingredients. It is vegan and vegetarian in case you have any dietary restrictions. So I feel it apt to share it here, hoping that someone motivated to cook with okra will give this recipe a shot.
Cooking Notes for Spicy Okra Recipe
Ingredients – Okra , Spices and More
While buying okra look for soft and small pieces that should feel tender. Stay away from the larger and hard pieces as these don’t cook well. Fresh okra is bright green while the older okra starts to yellow and may develop black spots on it. I just split the okra into half to mimic french fries. For a few larger pieces of okra, I slit them into quarters. Besides reducing the chopping time, this also causes less slime from the okra seeds to stick to the knife.
For the spice blend I combined cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt, black pepper and sweet paprika. I roasted the whole coriander and cumin seeds for a couple of minutes on a medium flame until they started to smell warm and toasted. Thereafter I ground them into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle. Try to use spices as fresh as possible. Further toasting whole coriander and cumin seeds, lifts the spice flavours to a whole new level. Of course if you don’t have any of the spices on hand, make do with whatever you do have!
That is all you need – fresh okra , the spice blend, some olive oil and an oven to roast the okra in.
Storage Instructions for Spicy Roasted Okra
This spicy roasted okra recipe is most suitable to make on the day you actually want to eat it. The warm and crispy flavours are the best when it is roasted fresh out of the oven. However if you do have leftovers , it keeps well in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It won’t be as crispy as the day the okra was first roasted though. When ready to consume, heat in a pan on low heat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this spicy roasted okra as a side or main meal with flatbreads or chapatis, pickles and a yogurt based dip. I like to mix in a mint chutney with yogurt. This is ideal for a light lunch or supper. The disk is quick and easy to put together and packed with flavour.
Scaling the Recipe
One can easily double up or double down the recipe with the ingredients listed. There is really nothing special you need to do.
Alternate Okra Recipes
I have eaten Okra in stews like Vegetarian gumbo, pickled or semi dry okra sautéed with onions, tomatoes and spices. Below are some interesting okra recipes that you may find useful
- A common style of cooking okra “bhindi masala” here
- Okra and Gumbo in Africa
- Some history on the origins of gumbo here
Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions. If you do try out this recipe, please leave a rating below. Don’t forget to tag #urbanfoodlover and follow along on Instagram.
Best Spicy Roasted Okra Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 grams Okra washed. App 1.1 pounds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp coarse semolina
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 180 deg C (350 deg F)
- Dry the washed okra using a tea towel or paper towel. Ensure the okra is completely dry else it won't roast well and you will have difficulty cutting it.
- Split the okra length wise into halves or quarters. The okra should resemble long french fries or potato chips.
- Lay the cut okra sticks on a flat baking tray. Meanwhile roast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds on low flame for few min (4-6 min)until they turn toasty and emit a warm aroma.
- Grind the toasted spices into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle. Next combine all the spices (turmeric powder, sweet paprika, garam masala, salt, black pepper, ground cumin seeds and coriander seeds) in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Sprinkle the spice blend , coarse semolina and olive oil over the cut okra sticks. Massage and rub the spices well with your hands until fully coated.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, shake the tray and move the okra pieces around.
- The okra will be cooked once it starts to turn dark green and brown with the spices sticking to the skin. Serve as a side or main meal with flatbreads , yogurt and pickles of your choice.
