خورش بامیه (Khoresht Bāmieh)
Or Khoresht Baamieh is a traditional stew common in Iran and Iraq, it is a very simple okra tomato stew, but in its simplicity there is always the reward of a hearty meal.
Okra, depending on how you feel about okra I recommend using one of the following variations.
- I love okra: Cool, so just cut the stems off the okra so it cooks whole and the flavor is contained.
- I’m neutral to okra: Cut the stems and leave the okra soaking in a cup of white vinegar and water over night, then rinse well.
- Okra is horrible: If you don’t like it, cut the okra in slices and fry it until it seals, this removes the slime.
To be fair, the only okra I don’t like is overcooked okra. Which is easily avoided.
Ingredients
- 500gr of beef chopped in cubes
- 500gr canned of whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 500gr of okra, prepared beforehand.
- 2 medium onions
- 2-4 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric
- 1 limo amani (dried lime) or half a lime’s juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
Get your stewing pot ready and fire up your stove; turn the temperature to medium, chop your onions up and set aside. Mix the turmeric and tomato paste together and paint your beef chunks with the paste before throwing them in the pot to brown.
When all the beef has browned, add the onions. When they have turned translucent, add the garlic and stir well.
You will end up with a stew base. Now add 3 cups of water and chop up the whole peeled tomatoes into smaller bits before adding them as well. Wait for the stew to boil, then cover firmly, set the fire to low, and go do something else for an hour, checking that the stew has not evaporated too much every 20 minutes or so.
When you can pull the meat apart with a fork its time to add the okra. Mix it in, adding water if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir very gently to not break the okra pods (if you added them whole). Turn off the stew completely if you okra looks slightly cooked, this should never take more than 20 minutes.
Serve with some Persian rice and (or) flat bread. This stew is enough for 6 hungry stew lovers.