Bamia,
known as okra or ladyfingers in English, has got to be
one of my favorite seasonal vegetables. In India they make
a delicious version of bamia called bhindi Subji: stir-fried
okra with tomatoes. Here's my version, which is high on
heat and sooo good!
Heat the oil in a wide pan on a medium
flame and add the cumin seeds (1 teaspoon). Toast them
a bit and then add the garlic, onions, and green chillies.
Add a bit of water and keep the flame low and the ingredients
turning to make sure that they don't burn. Do this for
about 5-7 minutes.
Next add the okra, which you should
have cleaned, dried (very important), and removed the
ends. I like to chop them into pieces, but you can leave
them long if you like. Add in about 1 tsp each of tumeric
and the corriander powder. Stir in on the medium flame
for a minute or two. Now add the tomato paste disolved
in about 1/2 cup of water. Allow the okra to cook, stirring
often for about 5–7 minutes. The okra
should be cooked, but still crunchy.
Finally, add the tomatoes and salt
to taste and allow to cook together an additional 3 minutes.
As a last touch throw in the chopped cilantro and give
it a stir.
It's sooo good! |
Okra
Tip
Okra is one of the most under-appreciated vegetables. In Iraq it
is very common, especially when in season (summer/fall).
If you can't find it at your local supermarket, look for
it frozen!
This is also one of the best tasting vegetarian recipes, and has
very little fat!
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