Until lately, I hadn’t been a fan of okra. But then I learned how cooks in the eastern and southern Mediterranean treat this popular vegetable: they cook it whole, after tossing it with salt and vinegar and marinating it for an hour to make it less, well, slimy. Some regional cooks dry okra in the sun after salting it.Okra is low in calories, very high in dietary fiber, and a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins and the phytonutrients glutathione, xanthin, lutein and beta carotene. For the best texture and flavor, buy the smallest pods you can find. Okra is stewed with tomatoes and onions throughout the Middle East and in Greece, where the vegetable goes by its Arabic name, bamyeh or bamyies. Traditionally, the stews are made with about three times as much olive oil as I use here.
Ingredients
For the mediterranean okra and tomato stew
- 2 pounds small okra
- Salt
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium onions, cut in half lengthwise then sliced thin across the grain
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves to taste, minced
- 1 pound tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes, seeded and grated, or else peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 14-ounce can, with juice
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste diluted in 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
267 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 384 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
Serves four as a main dish with rice, six as a side
Preparation
For the mediterranean okra and tomato stew
- Trim the stems off the okra, and place in a large bowl. Salt generously, douse with the vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain the okra, and rinse thoroughly.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole. Add the onions. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the okra, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until the edges begin to color. Add the garlic, stir together for about half a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, allspice and sugar. Add water if necessary to just cover the okra. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes until the okra is very tender. Add the parsley and lemon juice, and simmer another five minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
- Advance preparation: You can make this up to a day ahead of serving. Reheat, or serve at room temperature.
2 hours 15 minutes
Dining and Cooking