Okra is a southern Iranian favourite, from Khuzestan down to the Persian Gulf coast. Khoresh bamieh cooks it with meat, plenty of garlic and tomato, and sours it with tamarind or lemon.
People who think they hate okra usually hate it slimy. Cooked this way, the pods stay whole and tender and the sauce stays clean.
At a glance: serves four. About two hours. Easy.
Ingredients
- 400g lamb or beef, cut into small cubes
- 500g small, fresh okra, stalks trimmed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste or 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp turmeric
- A pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- Vegetable oil, salt and black pepper
Method
- Fry the onion until golden. Add the garlic and turmeric, then the meat, and brown it well.
- Stir in the tomato paste, fry for two minutes, then add the tomatoes and three cups of hot water. Season, cover and simmer for about an hour and a quarter.
- Meanwhile fry the whole okra in a hot pan with a little oil for five minutes. This stops it turning slimy.
- Add the okra and tamarind to the stew. Cook gently for another 30 minutes, shaking the pan rather than stirring.
Choose small okra. Pods longer than your finger tend to be stringy.
Do not stir. Stirring breaks the pods and releases the slime. Shake the pan gently instead.
Serve with plain rice. In the south it is often eaten with extra chilli on the side.
