Okra Stew
My simple recipe for Okra Stew, or Lebanese bamia, cooks okra perfectly in a warm spiced tomato broth. Great with or without meat!
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 pound okra (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 pound beef stew meat (or lamb or beef chuck roast)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 28 oz tomato sauce (or pissata or diced tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (less if using table salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or allspice or 7 spice)
- 12 oz water (or more as needed)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (or cilantro or parsley)
Instructions
- 1
Trim and cut the meat into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces. Cut any large okra in half.
- 2
In a 4 quart pan, over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown and caramelize the beef in single-layer batches, removing the meat as it is finished, about 5 minutes per batch. Take care not to overfill the pot with beef or the meat will simply steam rather than caramelize. Turn the heat down and add more oil as needed if the base of the pot gets burnished.
- 3
Add the onions to the empty pot, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and translucent while scraping up any browned bits as you go.
- 4
Add the caramelized meat and the cinnamon. Mix well and add the tomato sauce and the water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes.
- 5
Add the okra and return to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Serve immediately, topping each serving with chopped fresh mint or other herbs.