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Madras Okra Curry

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 20, 2021

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Madras Okra Curry

Ingredients

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided1½ pounds okra, stemmed1 small onion, chopped fine3 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 2½ cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup canned coconut milk 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon cornstarch ¼ teaspoon table salt 10 sprigs fresh cilantro, choppedLime wedge

Before You Begin

We prefer the spicier flavor of Madras curry powder here, but you can substitute regular curry powder. Do not substitute frozen okra as it doesn't brown like fresh okra. Serve with Everyday White Rice.

Instructions

  1.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium- high heat until just smoking. Add half of okra to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and well browned on most sides, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining okra; transfer to bowl. Let skillet cool slightly.
  2.  Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1¼ cups, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3.  Whisk coconut milk, honey, and cornstarch together in bowl to dissolve cornstarch, then whisk mixture into skillet. Bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in okra and any accumulated juices and salt and return to brief simmer to warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Madras Okra Curry
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Chantal Lambeth.

Madras Okra Curry

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1½ pounds okra, stemmed
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
2½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon table salt
10 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedge

Ingredients

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1½ pounds okra, stemmed
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
2½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon table salt
10 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedge

Ingredients

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1½ pounds okra, stemmed
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
2½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon table salt
10 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedge

Why This Recipe Works

Looking for an okra dish with main-course potential, we explored Indian treatments of the vegetable and found ourselves taken with a Madras-style okra curry with a plentiful, rich sauce, and okra pods that retained some of their fresh bite. For our version, we made a pantry-friendly sauce with onion, ginger, garlic, and coconut milk. Searing the okra whole—and not letting it stew in the sauce—kept it crisp-tender with an appealing texture, rather than letting it get slimy and mushy. Fresh cilantro sprigs and bright lime wedges balanced out our rich curry.

Before You Begin

We prefer the spicier flavor of Madras curry powder here, but you can substitute regular curry powder. Do not substitute frozen okra as it doesn't brown like fresh okra. Serve with Everyday White Rice.

Instructions

  1.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium- high heat until just smoking. Add half of okra to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and well browned on most sides, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining okra; transfer to bowl. Let skillet cool slightly.
  2.  Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1¼ cups, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3.  Whisk coconut milk, honey, and cornstarch together in bowl to dissolve cornstarch, then whisk mixture into skillet. Bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Stir in okra and any accumulated juices and salt and return to brief simmer to warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

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