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    Home » Mains - Vegetaraian

    Bhindi Do Pyaza (Okra With Onion)

    Published: Oct 7, 2013 · Modified: Apr 18, 2023 by Tanvi Srivastava · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Bhindi Do Pyaza is a delicious indian vegetarian sabji of fresh green okra sautéed with caramelized onions, tomatoes, yogurt and spices. It is a gluten-free okra dish that can be served for main course with flatbreads or as a side dish in an indian meal.

    In this post, I am sharing an easy and quick bhindi do pyaza recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes. You could easily make it vegan (just skip the yogurt!).

    If you love okra, do check out my other bhindi recipes like bhindi kadhi, bhindi aloo, bharwa bhindi, besan bhindi.

    Bhindi Do Pyaza served in an oval stainless steel dish with rotis.

    About Bhindi Do Pyaza

    In Hindi, Bhindi = Okra, Do = Two or Twice, Pyaz = Onions

    Simply put, bhindi do pyaza is a dry or or semi dry north indian style okra curry made with double amount of onions.The double onion quantity makes it taste mildly sweetish and spices are added to complement that mellow sweetness. 

    The double quantity of onion is added at different stages of cooking. Onions are used both for making the masala (curry base) as well as the main ingredient.

    Do pyaza recipes (also called as do piaza )come from mughlai cuisine with prominent umami flavors thanks to generous use of onions.

    In the original form, do pyaza was cooked with meat. But slowly, the vegetarian variations got popularized too. Known for their unique smoky and spicy taste, these dishes are served on dhaba (street diners) menus as well as in restaurants with both non vegetarian and vegetarian versions. Bhindi do pyaza is a very popular dish in indian cuisine, especially in restaurants of north india.

    Why you will love this recipe

    • It is wholesome vegetarian dish and is full of fiber.
    • Not too oily like in restaurants, but not a simple stir fry either. A very balanced dish that will satisfy your cravings.
    • I take the middle route and the taste is somewhere between homestyle and restaurant style. Its not too rich but has comforting flavors of restaurant style dishes.
    • The flavor of onions is not overpowering - the taste of masala is neither sweetish nor too savory.
    • I feel that bhidi do pyaza gets better as it sits making it good for meal prep. Try it with a hot paratha for lunch!
    • This is a customizable recipe- made easily vegan if you wish. Or use pearl sambar onions if you like.

    How To Make Bhindi Do Pyaza (Step by Step Photos)

    Choosing Okra

    Always look for in season, deep green (emerald) colored okra that isnt too thick (meaning its over ripe and has lot of seeds inside).

    When purchasing, (if possible) I usually choose small and shorter bhindis for making do pyza because I want o avoid chopping them in halves or thirds. I highly recommend you do the same. Since we are going to shallow fry the bhindi, chances are that chopped bhindi will give off its juices and become slimy.

    Prep the Bhindi

    Start by preparing the okra for cooking. To do so, thoroughly wash the fresh bhindi a day or at least 5-6 hours ahead of cooking and let air dry.

    To cook slime free bhindi in any recipe you make, the key is that the okra should not be wet or semi when it goes in the pan.

    For air drying, place a large kitchen towel on the counter and spread the washed bhindi in a single layer. Leave to dry for few hours.

    Once the bhindi is completely dry, cut off the ends. If you have longer bhindi, cut in half.

    Other Prep

    • Peel, cut in half and slice the onions. These are for the masala.
    • Peel, and cut the onions in large chunks or petals. These will go towards the end.
    • Coarsely pound the coriander seeds using a small mortar and pestle.
    • Julienne the fresh ginger.
    • Mince the fresh garlic cloves using mortar and pestle.
    • Finely chop the tomatoes.
    • In a small bowl, beat the yogurt.

    Shallow Fry The Bhindi

    • Warm up oil in a wide and heavy bottomed kadai/ any cooking pot. If you are using mustard oil, warm it till its a bit smoky. (image1)
    • Carefully, slide the bhindi into the oil from one side. Shallow fry the okra for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Stir 1-2 times to make sure that they fry on all sides. (images 2&3)

    Tip # 1 - Shallow fry on constant medium heat. On low heat, the bhindi starts releasing its juices. On high heat, chances are that the okra will burn from outside and remain raw from inside.

    Tip # 2 Don't stir too much while shallow frying else the bhindi starts getting slimy.

    Tip # 3- Don't add salt while shallow frying. Salt causes the bhindi to release its juices leading to sliminess.

    • Transfer the shallow fried bhindi on a plate. Immediately, sprinkle some salt to season while the okra is still hot. (image 4)
    • Set aside and now make the do pyaza masala next.

    Note- If you want, you may shallow fry the onion petals as well, I don't.

    Photos showing steps of how to shallow fry fresh okra.
    Photos of making the onion base for bhindi do piaza in a cooking pan.

    Make The Bhindi Do Pyaza Masala

    • You would have leftover oil after shallow frying, add another 2 tablespoon of oil and let warm up.
    • Temper the oil with cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds on low medium flame. Let crackle for a few seconds. (image5)
    • Add the sliced onions next. On medium heat, lightly brown the onions. (image6)
    • Next add the whole green chillies, ginger and garlic. Saute with the onions for 10-12 seconds till you smell a wonderful aroma. (image7)
    • Sprinkle the powdered spices (coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder) next and sauté for a minute or so taking care not to burn. If needed add a splash of water. (image8)
    • Add the tomatoes next, sprinkle pinch of salt and cook down the tomatoes smushing them from the back of spoon till they become part of the masala. You will start seeing tiny oil bubbles on the sides. (images 9 & 10)
    • Reduce the heat to low and add the beaten yogurt next. Saute and cook down with the masala till you see oil bubbles again. Add salt and mix. Dont dry out the masala too much. We want a semi-dry onion-tomato masala. (images 9 & 11)
    • Add the shallow fried bhindi along with the onion petals. Mix well and let cook for 3-4 minutes til you see that the onion petals are soft. Bhindi is already cooked from shallow frying so we don't have to cook for long. (image13 & 14)

    Tip - Avoid stirring and mixing mashing too much once you have added the bhindi to prevent the masala from getting slimy.

    • Finish with birista (fried onions, optional) and chopped fresh coriander leaves. You can taste and add some amchur powder(dry mango powder) as well. (image 15)
    • Bhindi do pyaza is ready. Serve warm (image 16)
    Step photos showing how to make do pyaza masala.
    Stepwise pictures showing how to cook bhindi do piaza.

    Recipe Tips

    • Dont skimp on oil. Certain vegetables like fresh okra, eggplant, cauliflower etc need extra oil while cooking to bring out their best taste.
    • Make sure that okra is fully dry before you start cooking it. I cannot say this enough.
    • The dish tastes best when cooked with red onions. 
    • To Make Vegan Bhindi Do Pyaza- Skip the yogurt in this recipe. Add a sour ingredient like ½ teaspoon amchoor powder (dry mango powder) or lemon /lime juice to finish.
    • For a restaurant style taste, you could add a little bit of tomato puree as well while making the masala. 
    • For punjabi style bhindi do pyaza, finish with garam masala powder and kasuri methi.
    • Instead of green chillies, you could add dried red chilies for a smoky taste.
    • I have a section dedicated to tips on cooking okra in this post, please check it out for more.
    Side view of bhindi Dp pyaza served with rotis in a stain less steel plate.

    Serving Ideas

    • In my opinion, bharwa bhindi pairs best with indian bread like roti or paratha. It tastes good with naan too.
    • Serve as a gluten-free side dish with oats roti.
    • Serve with jeera rice or steamed rice, mango dal and side of garlic pickle for a simple indian meal.
    • Pack in lunch box. This dish tastes good at room temperature. 

    FAQ

    How do I make sure my bhindi is not slimy?

    I have added a lot of tips throughout this article. Please read the above post. For additional tips,I have a detailed section in this earlier post on this topic, do give it a read.

    Where is bhindi do pyaza from?

    Do pyaza dishes originally belonged to mughal cuisine and meat dishes were cooked using this method. Being a primarily vegetarian country, lot of vegetables and paneer do pyaza variations were created over the years and they gained popularity in north indian restaurants.

    How can I make bhindi do pyaza gravy using this recipe?

    After you have cooked the masala, before adding the shallow fried okra, add ½ cup to ¾ cup water and bring in to simmer. Once you see a thickish gravy, add the okra and onion petals and proceed.

    Bhindi Do Pyaza Featured Image.

    Bhindi Do Pyaza (Okra With Onions)

    Tanvi Srivastava
    Bhindi Do Pyaza is a delicous indian vegetarian sabji of fresh green okra sautéed with caramelized onions, tomatoes, yogurt and spices. It gluten-free okra side dish that goes well in most indian meals. 
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 4
    Calories 273 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 400 g bhindi okra (fresh or frozen)
    • 1 large (~120g) onion layers separated and cut into chunks or petals
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 4-5 tablespoon oil for shallow frying, I use mustard oil

    For Do Pyaza Masala

    • 2-3 tablespoon cooking oil if needed
    • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • ¾ teaspoon coriander seeds coarsely crushed
    • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 250 g onions thinly sliced
    • 2 indian green chilies (hot) slit, keep whole (adjust to taste)
    • ½ inch ginger julienne
    • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder (for color, substitute with paprika)
    • 1 teaspoon red chili powder (hot, substitute with cayenne)
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 2 (~150g) tomatoes finely chopped
    • ¼ cup yogurt full fat ,beaten (see notes for vegan version)
    • 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
    • 2 tablespoon fried onions birista, store bought, optional
    • ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped

    Instructions
     

    Prep the Bhindi

    • Start by preparing the okra for cooking. To do so, thoroughly wash the fresh bhindi a day or at least 5-6 hours ahead of cooking and let air dry. Air drying bhindi and storing to cook ahead is best. 
    • To air dry, place a large kitchen towel on the counter and spread the washed bhindi in a single layer. Leave to dry for few hours. 
    • Once the bhindi is completely dry, cut off the ends. If you have longer bhindi, cut in half. 

    Shallow Fry The bhindi

    • Warm up oil in a wide and heavy bottomed kadai/ any cooking pot. If you are using mustard oil, warm it til its a bit smoky. 
    • Carefully, slide the bhindi into the oil from one side. Shallow fry the okra for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Stir 1-2 times to make sure that they fry on all sides. 
    • Tip # 1 - Shallow fry on constant medium heat. On low heat, the bhindi starts releasing its juices. On high heat, chances are that the okra will burn from outside and remain raw from inside. 
      Tip # 2 Don't stir too much while shallow frying else the bhindi starts getting slimy. 
      Tip # 3- Dont add salt while shallow frying. Salt causes the bhindi to release its juices leading to sliminess. 
    • Transfer the shallow fried bhindi on a plate. Immediately, sprinkle some salt to season while the okra is still hot. Set aside and now make the masala next. 

    Make Do Pyaza Masala

    • You would have leftover oil after shallow frying. Add, 2 tablespoon of oil and let warm up.
    • Temper the oil with cumin seeds, coarsely crushed coriander seeds and fennel seeds. Let crackle for a few seconds. 
    • Add the sliced onions next. On medium heat, lightly brown the onions.
    •  Next add the whole green chilies, ginger and garlic. Saute with the onions for 10-12 seconds till you smell a wonderful aroma. 
    • Sprinkle the powdered spices next and sauté for a minutes or so taking care not to burn. If needed add a splash of water.
    • Add the tomatoes next, sprinkle a pinch of salt and cook down the tomatoes smushing them from the back of spoon till they become part of the masala. You will see tiny oil bubbles on the sides. 
    • Reduce the heat to low and add the beaten yogurt next. Saute and cook down with the masala till you see oil bubbles again. Add salt now. Dont dry out the masala too much. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
    • Add the shallow fried bhindi along with the onion petals. Mix well and let cook for 5-6 minutes till you see that the onion petals are soft. Bhindi is already cooked from shallow frying so we dont have to cook for long. 
      Tip - Avoid stirring and mixing mashing too much once you have added the bhindi to prevent the masala from getting slimy. 
    • Finish with birista(fried onions, optional)and chopped cilantro. You can taste and add some amchoor (dry mango powder) as well. Bhindi do pyaza is ready. Serve warm. 

    Notes

    • Don't skimp on oil. Certain vegetables like fresh okra, eggplant, cauliflower etc need extra oil while cooking to bring out their best taste.
    • Make sure that okra is fully dry before you start cooking it. I cannot say this enough.
    • The dish tastes best when cooked with red onions. 
    • To Make Vegan Bhindi Do Pyaza- Skip the yogurt in this recipe. Add a sour ingredient like ½ teaspoon amchoor powder (dry mango powder) or lemon /lime juice to finish.
    • For a restaurant style taste, you could add a little bit of tomato puree as well while making the masala. 
    • For punjabi style bhindi do pyaza, finish with garam masala powder and kasuri methi.
    • Instead of green chillies, you could add dried red chilies for a smoky taste.
    • I have a section dedicated to tips on cooking okra in this post, please check it out. 
    Serving Ideas
    • In my opinion, bharwa bhindi pairs best with indian bread like roti or paratha. It tastes good with naan too.
    • Serve as a gluten-free side dish with oats roti.
    • Serve with jeera rice or steamed rice, mango dal and side of garlic pickle for a simple indian meal.
    • Pack in lunch box. This dish tastes good at room temperature. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 273kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 776mgPotassium: 468mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1104IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Filed Under: Mains - Vegetaraian

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rosa Mayland

      October 07, 2013 at 10:44 pm

      A beautiful okra dish! It looks really scrumptious and wonderfully spicy.

      Cheers,

      Rosa

      Reply
    2. saucygander

      October 08, 2013 at 2:18 am

      What a coincidence, I just bought some okra on the weekend, making this tomorrow!

      Reply
    3. Kulsum

      October 08, 2013 at 5:40 am

      Oh Tanvi! Growing up we only ate okra stir fried exactly the same way. Though we use sliced onions that were added later so it still got a bite to it. I see how pearl onions should work even better. Lovely!

      Reply
    4. Aruna Panangipally

      October 08, 2013 at 7:26 am

      Oooooooooooo.... I love this, but have to wait till Navaratri is over to try it. Sigh!

      Reply
    5. pRiya

      October 09, 2013 at 8:57 am

      I never know what to do with the remaining pearl onions after I use some of them in a sambhar. I'm really glad to know that I can add it to okra.

      Reply
    6. chinmayie @ love food eat

      October 14, 2013 at 6:06 pm

      I made this for lunch yesterday and loved it 🙂 The use of spices and pearl onion is so different compared to my usual recipe. Very refreshing!

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        October 18, 2013 at 7:54 pm

        Thanks for trying out Chinmayie. I love this okra version a lot.

        Reply
    7. Taste-of-PhD

      October 16, 2013 at 5:39 pm

      I just wanted to say I love the second photo in this post. Great shot !

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        October 18, 2013 at 7:54 pm

        Thank you.

        Reply
    8. Nik@ABrownTable

      October 18, 2013 at 5:01 am

      Such gorgeous photos, especially the second one. I haven't made this in a long time and will definitely try it with the pearl onions.

      Reply
    9. sowudai

      October 26, 2013 at 1:23 pm

      Beautiful clicks... looks awesome .. I am so glad to follow u tanvi... ur photography is awesome 🙂

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        October 27, 2013 at 12:18 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
    10. Honey What's Cooking

      October 27, 2013 at 1:06 pm

      Gorgeous clicks. First time to your blog and I love it. Bookmarked. Such a crisp and clean look. Bhindi is my second favorite subzi... make mine with tomatoes but I love this.

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        December 01, 2013 at 11:28 pm

        Thanks so much. Welcome to the blog!

        Reply
    11. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com

      October 30, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      Utter beauty! Love bhindi and yes, its quite an intimidating vegetable to cook with, but so delicious 🙂

      Pinned!

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        December 01, 2013 at 11:27 pm

        Thanks love!

        Reply
    12. Medha

      October 31, 2013 at 7:34 am

      I took a trip down memory lane with your recipe 🙂 Gorgeous- tempting pictures and one of my favorite ways to eat Okra. Using pear onion is a great idea, it will give nice crunch to dish than regular onion.

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        December 01, 2013 at 11:27 pm

        Thank you for commenting. I love okra with lots of onions or not at all 🙂

        Reply
    13. Ameena

      November 02, 2013 at 5:19 am

      My husband loves okra...thank you for the fantastic recipe!

      Reply
      • Tanvi

        December 01, 2013 at 11:27 pm

        Thanks Ameena.

        Reply
    14. Purna

      September 14, 2015 at 3:58 pm

      I just made this for dinner. Tastes great.
      How do you maintain the lush green color of the Bhindi?

      Reply

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