Andhra Style Bendakaya Vepudu | Bendakaya Fry | Crispy Okra Fry Recipe - Cooking From Heart (2024)

Published: Apr 2, 2021 by Ramya · 2 Comments

Learn how to make Andhra Style Bendakaya Vepudu recipe with step by step pictures. Bendakaya Fry Andhra Style recipe with step-wise pictures. Crispy Okra Fry recipe, best as snack or side dish for rice!

Andhra Style Bendakaya Vepudu is a crispy fry made with bhindi/okra that can be served both as a snack or side dish for rice. It is a popular recipe typically served in Telugu marriages and functions as part of the elaborate banana leaf meal. It is golden, crispy and really delicious fry that is deep-fried and then tempered with roasted peanuts, powdered dry coconut, red chilli powder and curry leaves! It tastes just as good served as a snack! This same recipe can be made with Dondakaya or Ivy Gourd replacing the Bendakaya/Okra.

Andhra Style Bendakaya Vepudu

Bendakaya Vepudu or Bendakaya Fry is a simple Andhra style Okra fry recipe that is so quick and simple to make. While being very similar to Kurkure Bhindi, there are very few spices used in this recipe. Diamond cuts of bhindi/okra are coated with gram flour and rice flour along with red chilli powder and salt. You know how Bendakaya/bhindi tends to be sticky and hard to cook sometimes? Not in this recipe. We use as little water as possible to coat the flours & spices. It is then deep fried on medium flame until crispy. The dish doesn’t end there though. Powdered/grated dry coconut or kopra is added along with roasted peanuts, fried curry leaves and more chilli powder & salt. It is such a tasty and delightful dish that can both be served as a snack or side dish.

Tips & Important Notes to Make Crispy Bendakaya Fry

Bendakaya Fry is an easy and simple recipe, with an exception of deep-frying. Although it can be made in an Air fryer or an oven, it is best made the authentic way by frying in oil. Follow the below tips and notes to make it perfectly every single time.

• It is important to wash and dry the bhindi/okra well in advance. Alternatively, pat them dry after washing. This helps remove the stickiness.
• This is one recipe where the cut of the vegetable makes a huge difference. After removing the head of the bendakaya/bhindi, cut them diagonally such that each piece looks like a diamond exposing the white interiors. To get maximum crispiness and taste, it must be cut into diamonds.
• Make sure the temperature of the oil is always maintained at medium-high for frying the okra. This helps in frying it to the perfect texture without losing the beautiful color.

Serving Suggestions

Andhra Style Bendakaya Vepudu is served hot as part of celebration meals in marriages and functions. As it is deep-fried and calorie-high, it works as a once-in-a-while indulgence 🙂 It can also be served as a starter or appetizer in lunch/dinner parties! Though bhindi fry stays crisp even after cooling down, it tastes the best when served hot.

Check out other easy starter/appetizer recipes

• Air Fryer French Fries
• Bakery Style Veg Puff
• Restaurant Style Paneer Tikka
• Paneer Popcorn
• Low Calorie Gobi Manchurian

Andhra Style Bendakaya Vepudu Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

Wash and pat dry 500 grams of tender bendakaya/okra. Cut into medium sized diamonds.

Add 3 tablespoon gram flour/besan and 2 tablespoon rice flour along with ½ tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric and salt as needed.

Toss it well until all the pieces are coated with flour.

Now sprinkle water little by little and mix everything together.

The mixture should just coat the vegetable and not be runny. Meanwhile heat oil for deep frying.

In batches, add the prepared bendakaya into hot oil. Set the flame on medium. Cook it for 3-4 mins on medium flame until the vegetable is crispy. Drain off from oil. Repeat this with rest of the mixture.

Now in the same oil, fry ¼ cup peanuts until they are golden brown. Remove from oil and add it to the fried Bendakaya.

Next fry curry leaves for 10 secs in hot oil. Make sure there is no extra water in curry leaves. Add it to the fried mixture too.

Add ¼ cup powdered/grated dry coconut or copra along with 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and salt to taste.

Give it a good mix.

Serve hot immediately as a starter/appetizer or side dish for rice.

Recipe Notes

• It is best to use tender okra/bhindi for making crispy fry.
• Adjust spices as per preference.
• The same recipe can be made in air fryer – set it to cook for 12mins at 180°C and spray oil/apply oil in between.

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