Ingredients
1 lb/450 g fresh or frozen okra
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion/about 400 g, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One 14 oz/400 g can chopped tomatoes
One 14 oz/400 g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
juice of 1 medium lemon
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup/240 ml water
1 Tbsp dried mint
1/2 tsp ground sumac or more as desired
bread or plain rice to serve
Instructions
- If using fresh okra, wash, gently pat dry, and trim only the hard top stem without cutting the pod itself so that the okra won’t be slimy during cooking (keep the okra whole).
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, lemon juice, and okra, season with salt and pepper, and combine well. Swirl the measured water in the tomato tin to get any remaining bits and pour into the pan. Gently combine, cover, and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the okra is cooked but still firm, not mushy. Gently stir only a few times so that the okra remains whole. Stir in the dried mint and sumac, gently combine well, and remove from the heat.
- Let the stew rest for 10 minutes, then serve with chunks of bread or plain rice on the side.
Notes
- If you are using a string of dried okra, place it in hot water and simmer for 2 minutes until the okra is just soft enough to slip off the string. Drain and remove the string; then the okra is ready to use.
