Stuffed Okra with a spicy red Goan Recheado paste is a delicacy, which can be enjoyed as a snack or serve it simply with the all famous Goan fish curry rice.
The vegan stuffed okra, also known as ladyfinger/bhende, is quickly prepared and fried in a pan with little oil and add flavor and zing to your palate.


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Learn how to make stuffed okra with the step-by-step recipe further below + video:
The Okra is a widely known Asian vegetable in the western world.
In fact we learned how to prepare okra in culinary school in Austria, and that shows again how easily available this vegetable is.
Yet, for some reason people feel reluctant to buy okras in stores in Europe and the reason for that is the lack of western recipes featuring okras.
I feel, okra is one of those basic healthy vegetable produce, which one can easily incorporate into dishes and therefore I will be sharing more okra recipes here at some point.
Today, I am not sharing a western ladyfinger recipe so I am not very helpful in this regard, however, these popular Goan recheado paste stuffed okras are absolutely worth a bite.
The paste is spicy but when the okras are stuffed with it and fried, the aroma automatically gets absorbed within the okra, which makes the vegetable juicy and flavorful from the inside.
The heat is reduced in that way, and you are left with a little but tongue tickling delicacy.
Rechead or Recheado Masala paste is a Portuguese influenced red paste with vinegar, dried red chilies, and spices as main ingredients.
It's essential in any Goan kitchen and a versatile paste to use as stuffing for bangde (mackerels) and to use as a stir fry paste with seafood such as prawns and squids.
In India, Okras are also known as Ladyfingers, which confused me at first.
Another common name in the subcontinent is Bhende and all its different, but similar, name variations.
So if you are in a market in India use ladyfinger or bhende because nobody will understand what you want with okra.
📜 When preparing Okra, make sure to follow these tips:
- buy and use only very green, fresh looking and hard (unbendable) okras
- wash your okra well under cool water
- tap the okra dry after washing, so that the okras don't get too slimy when cutting them into pieces. The okra has a substance when cut open turns slimy when it comes into contact with water. Another way to reduce the sliminess is to add lemon juice or vinegar (acid) to the okra while cooking, that breaks down the irritating slime (but that depends on the recipe).
- depending on the recipe, cut into bits, very thick slices or just slit it to create a pocket to add stuffing into the okra.
- Use the okra directly in your cooking, don't store the cut pieces in the fridge for too long.
Related to the stuffed Okra:
- Pan Fried Okra with garlic
- Stir-fried Okra spiced Indian Bhaji/sabji
📖 Recipe
Fried Stuffed Okra with Goan Recheado Paste Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 piece Okra all approx. the same size
- 1-2 Tablespoon Recheado Masala
- 1-2 Tablespoon Oil
Instructions
- Wash your fresh Okra well and tap them dry. Cut off both ends of all the okra. Then slit the okra in such a way that you create a "pocket".
- With a spoon stuff the okra with the recheado paste and keep aside.
- Heat up a pan with the oil and place the okra into the pan.
- Cook on all sides for about 3 minutes and stir fry frequently. Make sure to cook them until they get a bit soft and the paste touching the pan will get a bit black, which is normal and suppose to happen, and at that point, you can take the stuffed okra from the heat.
- Serve hot with Goan dishes such as rice curry or with other Indian rice curry dishes. I like to snack on the stuffed okra.
Notes
- Make sure all Okra are the same size
- You will only need fresh Okra and some Recheado paste to make this in less than 5 minutes.
- Just fry for short, the paste gets black quickly, which is normal while frying and at that point, you are done with the cooking.
Love okra! It's not yet in season, but when it is, I know the first recipe I'm going to use to make it. 🙂 Really nice -- thanks.
I never ate okra until I went South to go to university and in all the time I was served or cooked okra, I've never seen it stuffed.
What a great idea!
You don't see okra used near enough these days, especially in a fun recipe like this! I'm totally serving these at our first summer party 😀 Our neighbors will love them!
The only way I've ever had okra prepared was in the traditional Deep South tomato stew. I love the unique (to me) take you've shared - I will have to give it a try!
Oh wow this looks fantastic! I've never had okra before but I think I'll have to try it!
I agree with you - I am an okra-loving American, and have been surprised at how difficult it is to find in Europe, where I live! This recipe looks so amazing, though, I'll have to look a little harder for it so I can try this soon. 🙂
Such a wonderful way to prepare okra! I love your step by step photos. I had never heard of Recheado Masala before. Will definitely need to try it.
Must be very delicious filled with spicy paste!