5-Spice Okra
- 10m Prep Time
- 20m Cook Time
- 30m Ready In
Okra is cooked in a fragrant sauce with panch phoron spices, then fried until golden and simmered with lemon juice. This curry can be enjoyed on its own or as a side dish.
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp panch phoron
- 2 clove garlic finely sliced
- 2 green chillies finely sliced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp tomato purée/paste
- 3/7 cups water
- 3 8/15 oz okra halved lengthways
- 0.5 lemon juice of
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 8 of 13 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 307 mg
- Iron: 4.31 mg
- Magnesium: 72.4 mg
- Phosphorus: 254 mg
- Potassium: 820 mg
- Zinc: 2.02 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp panch phoron
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp tomato purée/paste
- 3/7 cups water
Prepare
- 2 clove garlic, finely sliced
- 2 green chillies, finely sliced
- 3 8/15 oz okra, halved lengthways
- 0.5 lemon, juice of
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a deep non-stick frying pan with a lid over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoons of panch phoron and cook until the fenugreek seeds turn dark brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be careful not to burn them, as they will become bitter.
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Step 2.
Add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves and 2 finely sliced green chillies to the pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until they start to soften. Then add 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons tomato purée. Stir well to combine.
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Step 3.
Pour in 100ml (scant ½ cup) water, stirring continuously, until a smooth sauce forms. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently while you cook the okra.
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Step 4.
While the sauce simmers, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a separate pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add 100g (3½ oz) okra, halved lengthways, and fry until golden brown and all sliminess is gone, about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Step 5.
Add the cooked okra to the sauce. Simmer for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld. Stir in the juice of ½ lemon, taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Serve hot.