Okra Curry Recipe with Shallots and Peanuts

A flavorful South Indian-style okra curry infused with the richness of shallots and coconut, complemented by the crunch of peanuts! It pairs perfectly with any rice dish, and you can learn to make it with detailed step-by-step pictures.

This recipe is not my first vendakkai kari (vendaikai means okra in Tamil, and kari refers to a dry curry) on the blog. I’ve previously shared a simpler version without onions or coconut, highlighting just the natural goodness of okra. That version is super crispy and cooked in a cast iron pan. This recipe, even though I made it in a cast iron pan, brings in extra layers of flavor from shallots, coconut oil, coconut, and peanuts. That’s the beauty of vegetables and any cuisine, right? There are endless ways to enjoy them!

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Ingredients required

• Like any curry, this recipe starts with neutral oil for tempering, along with mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, and peanuts.
• I’ve used shallots since I love their flavor, but you can substitute them with red or yellow onions—about ¼ cup should be enough.
• The star ingredient here is fresh, tender okra. Avoid tough or woody okra, as it won’t work well in this dish. While I’ve tested this recipe with red/burgundy okra, I haven’t tried it with frozen ones. If you need tips on cleaning okra, check out my okra fry recipe.
• For spice, you can use sambar podi, red chili powder, or a mix of sambar and rasam podi. I’ve even experimented with dabeli masala (check out my IG reels for that version). Feel free to get creative and use your favorite spices! And, of course, don’t forget the salt.
• To enhance the flavors, I’ve used coconut oil and dry, unsweetened coconut.

VVK Tips

• The cooking time is approximate and may vary depending on the heat level, the type of pan, and how tender the okra is. After about 12 to 15 minutes, taste the okra to check its doneness and continue cooking until it reaches your preferred crispiness.
• For a crispy okra version with minimal oil, cook it in batches. In this version, I used a bit more oil and added yogurt. Even though I cooked everything in one pan, the low-and-slow cooking method helped achieve a crispy texture.

Dietary Specifications

• To make this nut-free and vegan, skip the peanuts and yogurt.
• For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free asafoetida.

How to make okra peanut curry

• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a cast iron or heavy-bottomed frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, asafoetida, and peanuts. Roast until the peanuts, urad dal, and chana dal turns light golden.

• Next, add the chopped shallots or onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent.

• Now, add the chopped okra, sambar powder, and salt. Stir well to coat the okra with the spices, then cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes.

• After 5 minutes, the okra will become gooey. At this stage, add the yogurt. Initially, this will make the okra stickier, but as it cooks, the stickiness will gradually reduce. Continue cooking for another 5 to 6 minutes until the stickiness disappears.

• Add two more teaspoons of oil and cook for a few minutes over medium heat, or let the okra roast on low heat for about 5 minutes until a crust forms.

• Finally, mix in the coconut and cook for a minute before turning off the heat. Your okra curry is ready!

• That’s it. Okra curry is ready.

Recipe Notes

• You can substitute shallots with about ¼ cup of regular chopped onion.
• The quantity of peanuts and coconut is flexible—add them according to your preference. Both are optional. I used dry, unsweetened coconut, but fresh or frozen coconut can also be used.
• Yogurt helps remove the stickiness from the okra, but you can also use besan (gram flour) or fine sooji (semolina) as alternatives.
• For a crispy texture, allow the okra to form a brown crust by cooking over low heat for 5 to 6 minutes before adding the coconut.
• Adjust the salt and spice levels to your taste.
• Instead of sambar powder, you can use red chili powder, paprika, or kuzhambu masala for seasoning.

Explore South-Indian side dishes for rice

This okra curry is a perfect side dish for kuzhambu, sambar, dal, or rasam. If you’re looking for more dry curry recipes, be sure to check out these popular ones from my collection!

Loved this recipe?

If you try this okra peanut fry, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest or Instagram or join my Facebook Group for recipe updates and simple Indian meal ideas.

📖 Recipe

Originally posted in 2017, this recipe has now been updated with a recipe card, fresh images, and nutritional details.