Bamia

Description

Okra stew

Ingredients

• 300 g (10 oz) lamb chops and boneless lamb cubes
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) frozen okra (ready trimmed)
• 4 whole peeled garlic cloves
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 100 g (4 oz) dry tamarind
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 400 g (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon oil, for frying
• 1.2 litre (2 pints) boiling water

Directions

1. Break up the dry tamarind in small pieces, place in a large bowl and add 300ml (½ pint) of boiling water.
2. Set aside to soak.
3. If using fresh okra, trim top and tail, wash and soak in cold water for 5 minutes.
4. Next drain and set aside.
5. Trim and wash meat, then place in a medium saucepan and cover with boiling water (meat must be completely covered).
6. Boil for 5 minutes.
7. Drain meat and discard water.
8. In a medium saucepan, fry garlic cloves on medium heat with meat for 1 – 2 minutes, until garlic is slightly brown.
9. Now add 900ml (1½ pints) of boiling water, cover pan and boil on medium heat for 30 minutes.
10. Strain the liquid of the tamarind through a sieve, pressing hard to extract as much juice from the pulp as possible.
11. Discard the stones.
12. Pour 300ml (½ pint) of tamarind juice, then add tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and okra to the pan.
13. Cover and boil for 5 minutes.
14. Next lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
15. Stirring gently after 15 minutes, making sure not to break the pods.