3/19/2024 0 Comments Okra and beef stew recipeFrozen is great, but if you have fresh that works too. Middle Eastern markets will often carry baby okra in the frozen section. If you can’t find baby okra or size 0 okra, then sliced okra will also work, but it may be more “slimy” than baby okra. 14 ounces baby okra (size 0) (14 ounces is roughly 400 grams.I’d recommend this Egyptian okra stew recipe to okra lover The baby okra is not only perfectly bite sized, but it gets nice and tender as well. One great bonus to this okra stew recipe is that using whole baby okra along with the acid from the tomato sauce cuts down on any texture issues some may have. Okra made into soup or chopped okra does get a more viscous consistency the more the okra is cut up, blended, or cooked. Fried okra or pickled okra for example, often isn’t that slimy at all. The sliminess is greatly affected by preparation. It never bothered me at all, but I can see what those people mean. Some people don’t like the texture often associated with okra and may refer to it as slimy or viscous. Not everyone is that familiar with okra or some of the various preparations though. I’ve used ground beef for the recipe simply because it’s cheap, easy to find, it’s pretty much foolproof, and it’s how I often ate it growing up. Traditionally, this okra stew uses lamb as the main protein, but it is often made with beef as well. The dish can easily accommodate a vegetarian approach by just substituting the meat for double the amount of okra and a little more salt. In this case, the okra stands out as the highlight accentuated by seasoning and made heartier with meat. The preparations vary depending on who is making it and what is on hand, but the general idea is often similar. I prefer the oven because I can keep it at a consistent low temperature in order to make the meat super tender, but if you only have a stovetop you can also simmer gently on a low flame for the same time.Okra stew (or bamia) is a household dish for most Egyptians. I make this stew in the oven, but you can also do it on the stovetop. I use homemade baharat seasoning in this dish (Lebanese seven spice), but I’ve also included the ratio of ground spices below if you don’t have time to make some or don’t have any on hand. Even reheated the day after, the texture of the okra remains crisp and not unpleasantly slimy, promise. The okra is also added about 20-30 minutes before serving, so it has just enough time to cook and soak up the flavour and not enough time to become overcooked and mushy / gelatinous. Even my ten-year-old who I can’t get to eat courgette (zucchini) will quite happily eat the okra in this stew, which should tell you something! Bamieh bil lahme, topped with fresh coriander. Baby okra tends to be less ‘slimy’ than larger okra, and the acidity of the tomato sauce also keeps the slime factor at bay. All of the ingredients can come from frozen / tinned goods – I keep meat in the freezer (typically I buy lamb when it goes on sale, since it is quite expensive in America, and freeze in smaller portions), a 1 pound bag of frozen baby okra (easily found in your local Middle Eastern supermarket), and tinned crushed tomatoes. Traditionally we serve it with rice ( riz bi sh’arieh, or rice with vermicelli) and a basic salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, and fresh warm bread. If you prefer to use fresh, you absolutely can, just find the smallest pods that you can and rub any fuzz off of them with a towel. This is a staple winter meal for us, and since okra is obviously not in season, bagged frozen baby okra is used in this dish. Bamieh is simply the Arabic word for okra – and this stew can be made bil lahme – or with meat (as I’ve done here), or without – which makes it completely vegan. Okra is one of those vegetables that people tend to have strong feelings about, and I am among the okra lovers of the world.
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