How to stop bhindi going slimy

Bhindi (okra or ladiesfinger) is a delicious vegetable and one of my absolute favourites. I have a few bhindi recipes on my blog (bhindi masala, kurkuri bhindi and shahi bhindi). I'm hoping to add a few more soon, but unfortunately, bhindi is not readily available here unless we make a special trip to an Indian supermarket. 

Many people don't like cooking with bhindi - mainly due to the fact that it can get very slimy if you are not careful. This is because bhindi contains a similar substance called mucilage, which is also found in plants like aloe vera. Below you can read a few tips and tricks which I have discovered over the past few years when I first starting cooking with bhindi. If you follow these basic steps then you'll be a pro at cooking with bhindi in no time. 

Choosing the right kind of bhindi

• It is really important to choose tender bhindi with a fresh green colour. You can test if a bhindi is ripe by snapping of the small pointy end. If it snaps cleanly and easily, then you know the bhindi is tender. If it bends and you struggle to easy break it of, then its tough and too fibrous. Don't pick those ones. 
  
  
• When cutting bhindi, the knife should also move smoothly. If cutting the bhindi is difficult, or it makes a stratchy sound then again the bhindi is fibrous. 

Washing, drying & preparing bhindi 

• Before starting, wash the bhindi whole in water. Never wash chopped bhindi in water - you’ll end up with a slimy mess that’s almost impossible to get rid of (I have made this mistake!)
  
  
• After you have washed the bhindi take a tea towel or cloth and place them on the cloth in a single layer. Gently pat the bhindi dry and make sure they are completely free of moisture. Leave to dry out for at least 30 minutes. 
  
  
• When I know I am going to cook with bhindi, I tend to wash and lay them out on a tea towel already in the morning or after lunch. The bhindi will then be completely dry by the time I come to cook it. Also, cooking bhindi straight from the fridge is also not advisable, so this also ensures they are at room temperature.
  
  
• I tend to keep the size of my chopped bhindi relatively big (so I usually chop 1 bhindi into 3 pieces). I have found that chopping bhindi very small means a lot of slime or water is released.
  
  

Cooking bhindi 

• Before starting out on your dish always precook the bhindi beforehand. I do this by taking a good sturdy pan which retains an even heat, and add 1-2 tbsp of oil. I fry the bhindi on a medium heat with a little salt. The salt will help draw out any sliminess before adding it to the main element of your dish. 
  
  
• Cook bhindi with a souring agent which will also help reduce sliminess (like lemon/lime juice, amchur or tomatoes). That is why so many bhindi recipes call for using these ingredients. Trust me it does work! 
  
  

I hope that with these few tips you'll be able to successfully cook bhindi at home!