Okra is one of the vegetables that you either love or hate. It is difficult mostly with kids. My husband loves it. Imagine even in a very rich open buffet, if there is okra with meat, he prefers it to many other attractive dishes.
How to choose the right okra?
Try to pick ones that are smaller, it might be a way to convince the kids to give it a try too. If you cannot find fresh small okra some markets sell frozen okra, which also turns out delicious. Size “0” is the size you should look for.
In many countries really large sized okras are sold, those will not work well with this recipe.
If you are one of those who just cannot stand the texture of the okra, which is kind of hairy and stingy skin; it might be a good idea to soak the okra in a bowl of water with half a lemon’s juice in it, for about 20 minutes. If the texture is not a problem for you and you are fine to touch okra as it is or the okra is all fresh and small, you are free to skip this step totally.
How to prepare okra?
Some of the vegetables and the way of preparing them just drives me crazy, okra is one of them. It takes ages to peel the okra because you have to be patient and gentile. So it might be a good idea to watch tv, chat with a friend or listen to some nice music while doing the peeling. The smaller the okra the more time it will take.
The way you cut off the stem of okra is important, if you just chop it off and cook all the squishy liquid in the okra will come out and you will not want to have okra ever again. So be careful and patient. Use a small knife and cut off the stem, while turning it around like you are sharpening a pencil with a knife. Leave behind a funnel-shaped cap.
Once you have peeled the okra, the rest is pretty straightforward. Just make sure to cook the meat first. And add the okra only after the meat is ready as okra cooks very fast and you would not want to overcook okra.
How to cook okra with meat?
First cook the meat, it can be lamb or beef. I generally use beef. On the other hand lamb cooks faster and is tastier. You can totally skip the meat and turn this dish into a vegan main course. Just keep in mind that traditionally okra does not go well with ground meat.
What to serve with Okra with Meat
Serve okra with either plain Rice Pilaf with Tomato or Rice Pilaf with Orzo and with Shepherd’s Salad or a Fruit Compote. Don’t forget to serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy.
Okra with Meat
Ingredients
- 500 grams okra
- 100 grams meat beef, cubed
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tomato peeled, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon’s juice
Instructions
- Wash the okra before peeling. You can get rid of the tickly texture of the okra by soaking in a bowl of water with half a lemon's juice for about 20 minutes. If the okra is very fresh, you can skip this step.
- Peel off the cap of the okra. The shape should be like a funnel when you are finished. Be careful not to cut too deep. If you notice that you have cut too much and you can see little holes just discard that okra as it will most probably leave out squishy water when cooked and nobody will like it. Try to cut the next one less deeply.
- Put the olive oil in a pot. You can also use a preassure cooker. Add the chopped onions. Cook until onions are translucent.
- Add cubed meat. You can use lamb or beef. Lamb cooks faster. Do not use ground meat, with this dish.
- Cook the meat with the onions until brownish on all sides. Add also chopped garlic.
- When the meat starts to look brownish add chopped tomatoes. Make sure you have peeled the tomato. Stir for a minute. Then add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. Cover the lid and cook until the meat is ready. If you use a preasure cooker, this will take less time.
- When the meat is ready add the okra, the salt, lemon’s juice and a pinch of ground black pepper. If there is enough water to cover the bottom of the pot, you do not need to add any more. If you need, add hot water.
- Cook again until the okra is ready. Okra cooks really fast, so if you are cooking with a preassure cooker, make sure you do not over cook it.
- Rest for five minutes. Serve warm, with lemon wedges.
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