This easy vegan recipe is light yet full of flavor and takes less than thirty minutes to make. It’s an okra stew with garlic and coriander and has a sweet, refreshing, and tart taste. It is one of my favorite “bel zeit” dishes, which means “in olive oil”, and can be eaten as a main course or a side.
I didn’t always love okra, in fact I really hated it growing up. I remember when I would come home from school and ask what we were having for dinner, if my mom said “okra”, my heart would sink and I would run next door to my aunt’s house and have dinner there, no matter what she was making.
Things have changed since and I’m sure, like me now, you will love this recipe. Give it a go and let me know what you think!
- 500g small okra
- 6 tomatoes
- 1 chopped jalapeño
- 1 cup chopped coriander/cilantro
- 1 diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/2 tsp dried coriander
- 1 tsp pomegranate syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Make a small cross shape incision on both ends of the tomatoes and place in a medium sized bowl.
Pour boiling hot water on top to cover all the tomatoes. Set aside for 15 minutes. Strain, peel and roughly chop and set aside.
In a medium sized pot add some olive oil and fry the jalapeños then add the onion. Fry for a minute and then add the garlic. Fry for another 2 minutes then add the fresh coriander. Fry them all together for a minute or two. Add okra and fry for 4-5 minutes or until the okra becomes bright green.
Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Fry for two minutes then add the lemon juice, spices and sea salt to taste. Add half a cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve room temperature with chili lemon garlic sauce and some flat village bread on the side.
