Stuffed veggies make a delightful appetizer or side. The spicy filling adds to flavor in a crisp vegetable. Some of my favourite stuffed veggies are okra, karela (bitter gourd), and tomato.
Okra has been in cultivation for centuries, thought to originally come from northern Africa around the region of the upper Nile and Ethiopia, from where it spread towards Saudi Arabia and India. It's earliest record of cultivation is in Egypt.
The fibre content of okra helps to stabilize blood sugar levels as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. Okra’s mucilage binds cholesterol and bile acid, which carries toxins dumped into it from the liver.
For stuffed Okra you need
15-20 okras
for the filling
4 tbsp besan/gram flour
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp amchur/ dry mango powder
salt to taste
a pinch of turmeric
Wash and pat-dry the Okra.
Cut out the top and end of the okra and slit them vertically as shown in picture.
Roast besan until the raw smell goes.
Mix all the filling ingredients together. Stuff this filling between the okra slits.
Shallow fry the okra in a non-stick pan covering the pan occasionally and turning okra pieces around to be cooked evenly.
Remove from pan once it is browned and cooked.
Serve warm with rice or chapati.
