By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 2, 2026
Serves 4
114 cal · 55 min
Dahi Bhindi
Recipe GLPR4e1ade70e248cd
A delicious Indian vegetable dish featuring tender okra cooked in a creamy yogurt-based gravy enriched with cashew nuts, coconut, and aromatic spices. The bhindi is first cooked separately to remove its natural sliminess, then combined with a flavorful paste made from toasted poha, cashews, and tomatoes. This tangy and savory side dish pairs wonderfully with rice or flatbread.
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Ingredients
2⅓ tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Cashew nuts, broken or roughly chopped
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ cup Yellow onion, finely chopped
1½ teaspoon Red chili powder
2 Whole dried red chili peppers
to taste Salt
1½ medium Tomatoes, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 cup Water
¼ cup Plain yogurt
3½ cups Okra (bhindi), cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons Roasted flattened rice (poha)
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped okra and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the okra is tender and any sliminess has disappeared. The pieces should be cooked through but still hold their shape. Transfer the cooked okra to a plate and set aside.
While the okra is cooking, combine the cashew nuts, desiccated coconut, roasted poha, and roughly chopped tomatoes in a blender. Blend until you achieve a smooth paste. Set the paste aside.
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them pop for a few seconds.
Add the 2 whole dried red chilies and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the finely chopped onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown.
Add the prepared cashew-coconut-poha paste to the pan. Stir in the turmeric powder and red chili powder, mixing well to combine. Cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to separate from the sides of the pan or the paste visibly reduces.
Add the plain yogurt to the pan and stir well to incorporate it into the paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Pour in the water and mix everything together thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the cooked okra back to the pan along with salt to taste. Stir well to combine and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot with rice or flatbread.
Comments
Dahi bhindi is a tangy, creamy okra curry that works well as a weeknight side for rice or flatbread, and okra is reliably available at Charlotte grocers year-round. The caveat is that you will need to hunt for three specialty ingredients: desiccated coconut, poha (flattened rice), and ideally fresh cumin seeds rather than ground—Harris Teeter's international aisle stocks the coconut and poha, but if you skip that stop and substitute with pantry staples, the dish loses its signature texture. At roughly $2.50 per serving (okra, yogurt, and cashews drive the cost), it is moderate for a vegetable curry, and the 55 minutes is honest if you account for chopping the onion and okra separately and simmering gently to avoid mushiness. The dish does not keep well; yogurt curries separate and turn watery overnight, so plan to serve it the same evening.
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