Bhindi without the slime: the science of cooking okra

Okra — bhindi — contains mucilage, a soluble fibre that turns into a slippery gel when it meets water. In a gumbo that's the point; it thickens the pot. In a dry masala it's the thing everyone complains about.

Rule 1: dry, dry, dry

Wash the okra, then dry it completely — a clean tea towel, then air — before the knife touches it. Cutting wet okra starts the gel immediately. Our recipe says "washed, dried and cut" in that order for a reason.

Rule 2: hot pan, no lid at first

Fry the cut okra in a single layer over medium-high heat and leave it alone for the first few minutes. High heat evaporates surface moisture faster than the mucilage can develop, and the cut edges sear rather than sweat. A lid traps steam — exactly what you don't want until the okra is already browned. In our method the bhindi is fried separately first, then combined with the onion-tomato masala and finished briefly on dum.

Rule 3: salt and acid at the end

Salt draws water out of vegetables, so salting early makes okra weep. Add salt with the spices once the okra has colour. Acid — a squeeze of lemon, amchur, or the tomatoes in the masala — also helps break the gel down, which is why traditional recipes so often pair okra with tomato or tamarind.

Buying

Choose small, firm, bright-green pods that snap when bent. Large pods are woody and slimier. Use them within a day or two; they don't keep.

Make it: Masala Bhindi Fry.