Okra Fries, Crispy Vegan Kurkuri Bhindi
Okra fries — known in India as kurkuri bhindi (kurkuri means crispy, and bhindi means okra) are a beloved, moreish, and tongue-tinglingly tasty street food snack.
Although okra is described by most as an acquired taste, crispy okra fries are almost universally liked. Why? The thin strips of okra are not slimy — instead, they’re unbelievably crunchy, thanks to the tangy, spicy batter made from nutty chickpea flour and lip-smacking masalas.
Even if you are firmly in the “I hate okra” camp, I’m sure you’ll change your mind when you taste this dish.
In the U.K., we can thank Dishoom — a vintage Parsi Bombay cafe-inspired restaurant — for the positive reception of okra fries. Word on the street is that Dishoom okra fries are unmissable.
I had to confirm (for science!) and reviewed Dishoom Manchester, where I tried the crunchy snacks. I can see why they’re so in demand! But … dare I say, my kurkuri bhindi is even more mouthwatering than Dishoom’s okra fries.
Plus, it’s a walk in the park to make. You’ll only need a handful of ingredients and less than 15 minutes until the crispy okra fries are on your plate, ready to be dipped in green chutney or ketchup. They’re also vegan and gluten free … perfect for entertaining (or solo indulging).
❓What are Okra Fries?
Okra fries are made from small slivers of okra dipped in a warmly spiced, thick chickpea flour batter. They are traditionally deep-fried until golden brown and crunchy, but baked okra fries in the oven and air-fryer kurkuri bhindi are becoming more widespread alternatives!
Okra fries in this style originated in India, where they are eaten as an appetiser or snack, much like other fried recipes like gluten free onion bhaji, palak patta chaat, and chaat bombs (aka dahi puri).
If you ask me, crispy okra fries are even better than potato fries. Okra fries vs French fries … okra fries win every time! They’re healthier, too.
😋 Ingredients You’ll Need
My recipe has a few extra ingredients compared to Dishoom okra fries — but they make all the difference …
- Okra, also called ladies’ fingers or bhindi, depending on your area of the world, is the heart of this recipe. Okra is mild and fresh with a crisp texture. Use fresh okra for this recipe!
- Chickpea flour (gram flour, garbanzo bean flour, or besan) is the main ingredient of the batter. It’s nutty and toasty.
- Rice flour adds that crunch we need for ultra-crispy okra fries!
- Ground spices such as fiery red chilli powder and earthy cumin powder bring a comforting level of heat.
- Chaat masala is full of sharp, piquant, tangy flavours.
- Garam masala rounds everything out with a warm, aromatic depth.
- Ajwain gives an unmissable thyme-scented touch to the okra fries. It’s a must in all Indian fried appetisers!
- Lime juice provides a touch of tangy acidity that plays well with chaat masala. You can also use lemon juice, preferably fresh.
- Ginger garlic paste thickens the batter and adds notes of warm sweetness. I always use homemade ginger garlic paste for the best flavour.
- Water loosens the consistency just enough to stick to the okra.
- Salt enhances all those delicious spices we have going on!
- Oil for deep-frying, oven baking or air-frying.
⚠️ Allergens
There’s good news for anyone with dietary, religious, or lifestyle requirements: Crispy okra fries are vegan, gluten free, soy free, and nut free! That makes them ideal for curry nights or parities.
Since the crunchy, nutty coating is made from besan (chickpea flour) and rice flour — both naturally gluten free, the dish is completely gluten free. You’ll just need to double-check any store-bought spice mixes (cheaper brands sometimes bulk out with flour).
🧑🍳 How to Make Okra Fries
Grab your apron and pans — we’re almost ready to get cooking!
Making crispy okra fries only takes 15 minutes. There’s extremely minimal prep, and the method is simple, although you’ll want to exercise caution around hot oil (alternatives to deep frying are below).
- Cut the okra in half, then cut each half into three long slices.
- Make the batter by adding the okra to a bowl along with all ingredients except water. Mix and massage with your hands, then add the water and mix until the batter sticks to the okra.
- Preheat the oil and deep fry the crispy okra fries. Carefully drop the kurkuri bhindi into the oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
Alternatively, you can bake okra fries.
- To make oven-roasted okra fries, preheat the oven to 200 C (392 F) and line a baking tray with parchment/non-stick paper. Arrange the crispy okra fries in a layer and spray with neutral oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and crispy. Turn the oven okra fries halfway through cooking.
Or, for a quicker yet still healthy option, make air fryer okra fries:
- To make Indian okra fries in the air fryer, heat to 180 C (356 F) and spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Arrange the kurkuri bhindi without crowding and cook for 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
🍽️ Reheating and Serving Crispy Okra Fries
Because these okra fries are SO crunchy, they taste best served straight away. There’s nothing like the taste of them straight out of the fryer, dipped in green chutney, tamarind chutney, takeaway-style mint yoghurt, or a personal fave, ketchup.
However, kurkuri bhindi actually stays crispy for a few hours if you cook it correctly. That means you can eat them cold!
To reheat the crispy okra fries, spread them on a baking sheet and pop them on the grill (set to the lowest temperature) for 1-2 minutes. This will crisp them up, but keep an eye out — you don’t want them to overcook. Another option is using a tawa, but avoid the microwave as it makes them soggy.
💡 Expert Tips to Make the BEST Dishoom-Style Okra Fries
- Pick the best okra! Look for fresh okra without blemishes or scratches. Long, thin, and crisp orka is best for this recipe.
- Cut the okra into thin slices. My recipe varies from Dishoom okra fries, which are bigger. I’ve found thinner slices = crispier okra fries!
- Go easy on the water. We don’t want a flowing batter like when we make vada pav or palak patta chaat. It’s a thick coating that only sticks to parts of the okra — that’s what makes them moreish and so irresistible.
- Don’t overcrowd while frying to avoid the okra sticking together. Frying in batches helps the okra cook evenly and become, you guessed it, crispy.
- Fry on high heat. Low heat means the okra soaks up the oil, becoming greasy. Frying on high heat means gorgeously crisp okra without the grease.
- Don’t skip the chutneys when you serve the crispy okra fries. They taste best with a dip!
✨ This Recipe For Crispy Okra Fries Is …
Kurkuri Bhindi – Crispy Vegan Okra Fries
Ingredients
- 200 grams okra (ladies' fingers/bhindi)
- 4 tablespoons chickpea flour (gram flour/besan/garbanzo bean flour)
- 2 tablespoons rice flour
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ajwain
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 litre neutral oil for deep frying*
Instructions
Prepare the Okra
- Wash 200 grams okra (ladies' fingers/bhindi), then pat dry. Once the okra is dry, cut off the ends. Slice the okra in half. Depending on the size of your okra, cut the pieces in half again (or for ultra-crisp fries, cut each half into thirds).
Make the Batter
- Add your sliced okra to a large bowl. Also add 4 tablespoons chickpea flour (gram flour/besan/garbanzo bean flour), 2 tablespoons rice flour, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon chaat masala, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ajwain, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste to the bowl.
- Mix and massage the mixture with your hands.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons water to the bowl. Mix again until the batter sticks to the okra. It's okay if it doesn't stick all over; this is fine and what makes the okra fries crispy!
Cook the Okra Fries
- Preheat oil in a deep-fat fryer, deep saucepan, or kadai*.
- Once the oil is hot (around 175℃, or 350℉), carefully drop the okra fries into the oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; fry in batches if necessary.
- Fry for around 1-2 minutes, until crisp, then drain on a wire rack to remove excess oil (kitchen paper and cause sogginess). Repeat for the remaining batches.
Notes
- To make oven-roasted okra fries, preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and line a baking tray with parchment/non-stick paper. Arrange the crispy okra fries in a layer and spray with neutral oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and crispy. Turn the oven okra fries halfway through cooking.
- To make Indian okra fries in the air fryer, heat to 180°C (356°F) and spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Arrange the kurkuri bhindi on the basket (don’t overcrowd; cook in batches if necessary) and cook for 5 minutes. Turn, then cook for another 5 minutes.
I don’t get the proportion of water to flour. 4 tbspn of flour and 2 tbspn of rice flour to 2 tbspn of water?
Hi Uyen,
Thanks for the question! Yes, those proportions are correct. This amount of water is perfect to create a very thick, sticky paste that clings to the okra, creating the ultra-crispy effect once fried. If you add more water (I’ve done it accidentally once) it’ll be like soggy battered okra, which we don’t want.
The ginger garlic paste also adds moisture, and the okra itself is quite sticky, especially when we add salt.
I hope this helps! Please do try the recipe and let me know what you think.
Ellanor x
Is there anything I can use instead of the chat masalla, it’s the only thing I don’t have and I really want to cook them without waiting until I go into town?
Hi Bobbi,
You can substitute either dried mango powder (amchoor powder) or dried pomegranate powder (anardana powder) for chaat masala.
Both offer the tangy, lip-smacking quality that chaat masala is known for.
To amp up the funky complexity, swap regular sea salt for black salt if you have some to hand. (Just beware of the sulphurous smell!) If not, no worries.
I hope this helps and that you enjoy the recipe. 🙂