Bamyeh
This is a Palestinian/Lebanese braise from Rosana Thompson
- 2 Cups Okra
- 3 lg tomatoes or 1 lg can diced, stewed tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 -2 lb lamb or beef stew meat
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cube vegan or chicken buillon
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- Optional: 1/2 tsp curry powder
1) Wash whole okra in salt water. Drain. Cut fine tips off and cut off stem end. Slice into 1/2″-1
chunks.
2) In 2 Tbsp olive oil saute 2 cloves of thinly sliced garlic until softened, but not brown.
3) Saute okra pieces on high heat for 2 minutes – NOT until darkened. Remove and set aside.
4) For a vegetarian braise go to step 8.
With meat:
5) Saute 2 more sliced cloves of garlic in olive oil.
6) Brown 1″ cubes of beef or lamb stew (lamb is preferable) (1-2 lb depending on how much meat
you like).
7) Scrape bottom of pot, add enough water to cover, stir, add 1 tsp salt. Cover and simmer on
medium heat until meat is softened. ( I prefer to pressure cook it for 10 minutes, turn off the
fire, let the pot cool and then open it.)
8) Add three fresh, chopped, peeled tomatoes. (I freeze my very ripe tomatoes. When I need them, I pour boiling hot water on them and the peels come right off. They are very easy to chop & peel when frozen.) Otherwise, you can use a large can of diced, stewed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer.
9) Dissolve in a cube of vegan or chicken bouillon.
10) Add the garlic and okra from the beginning.
11) Stir in 2 Tbsp tomato paste.
12) Optional: Add curry powder to a vegetarian stew. It’s delicious!
13) Simmer for 10 minutes. (Do not let okra turn brownish – that is overcooked and will be slimy and soft.)
14) Serve with steamed white or brown rice.