This delicious Mediterranean okra stew with beef is cooked to perfection on low heat. Seasoned with spices such as sumac which brightens up the flavor of the dish and makes this okra stew extra special. Even if you hate okra, I promise you, you will love this dish. Mediterranean okra stew is traditionally served with rice with vermicelli. It is super nutritious, and absolutely delicious.
HOW TO MAKE OKRA LESS SLIMY
Traditionally, okra stew is made with beef or lamb. Growing up, my mom made this dish so many times over the summer because they grew tons of okra in their vegetable garden. I cannot say that I did complain because I love okra.
My mom would choose the tiniest okra to make okra stew with because they are the most tender, and when left intact the stew does not come out slimy.
If you are using fresh okra from the farmer’s market, you’ll want to cut out the stem part without exposing the seed part of the okra.
If the okra pods are small, you can deep fry them in some vegetable oil if you wish to reduce the sliminess. My mom used to take this rout all the time whenever she would make any type ok okra stew.
I used to deep fry the okra, but I have now found that it is not necessary when it is being cooked in something acidic like sumac and tomatoes. Some people also choose to add pomegranate molasses.
These additions do not only reduce okra’s slimy texture, but they also add a wonderful robust flavor to the dish.
If the fresh okra that you are using is too large, you can chop it into smaller circular pieces. I would not suggest frying it in this case.
If you do not have access to fresh okra, you can use frozen okra. Most frozen okra is chopped, but do not worry. As I mentioned earlier, the acidic components in this dish should be enough to reduce it’s sliminess.
I mostly rely on frozen okra since I cannot find fresh okra. I have tried growing okra in my vegetable garden, and it has proven itself difficult in our area because we do get a lot of rain during the spring and summer months, and okra likes it dry.
However, I did find one spot in my yard where the soil dries up super quick, and it gets plenty of sunlight. I can’t wait to get my okra planted and have plenty of it to store, and to eat fresh!
I plan on storing (if I have any left) most of it frozen, and drying some of it. My mom used to thread the okra onto strings, and hang it in the sun over the roof to allow it to dry.
If you are using dried okra, make sure to soak it overnight with a little bit of baking soda before using it. Rinse and drain it, and then you can either fry it, or use it directly in the stew.
HOW TO PREPARE OKRA STEW
Okra stew is slow cooked over low heat for two main reasons. The first reason being to get the meat to become tender, and the second is for the flavor.
I prefer to cook my okra stew in a heavy bottom stockpot to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and possibly getting scorched.
The cooking time for the beef or lamb will vary depending on the type of cut that you are using. My favorite type of cut to use is the chuck roast because I find it to be the most tender for use in stews.
If you wish to make the meat more tender quicker, you can pre-salt the beef or lamb overnight, seal it in a plastic bag, and refrigerate. Remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before you are ready to use it.
Salt is used as a meat tenderizer because it breaks down the proteins in the meat. When you apply this method, the cooking time may be reduced.
Once the beef or lamb is cooked, you can add in the okra, and then the tomatoes. I like to cook the okra on high in the beginning stages in order to reduce the sliminess. Once the okra changes its color to a bright green color, I then reduce the heat to medium.
If you are using frozen okra, You might want to cook it a little bit longer before adding in the tomatoes.
Once the tomatoes are added, I also like to simmer them in a little bit with the okra and the meat in order to allow the okra to absorb as much of the tomato juice as possible before adding in the water.
After all the ingredients are added in. I then reduce the heat, and allow the stew to simmer on low heat in order to allow the flavors to meld in together and create the most perfect okra stew.
WHAT TO SERVE OKRA STEW WITH
Traditionally this dish is served with a Mediterranean rice pilaf, or rice with vermicelli.
If you like your okra stew to have a brighter flavor, you can add in a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to each individual dish.
Recently the Mediterranean diet has gained a lot of popularity because of its health benefits. You can see why this is the case from this Mediterranean okra stew that is packed with nutrition. It is high in vitamins and minerals, and low in cholesterol (if the okra is not fried).
MORE GLUTEN FREE MEDITERRANEAN RECIPES
Gluten Free Mediterranean Eggplant Stew With Chickpeas
Shish Tawook Mediterranean Chicken Shish Kabob Recipe
Nut Free- Vegan – Gluten Free Focaccia Bread Recipe
Mediterranean Okra Stew With Beef
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Large heavy bottom stockpot
- Measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 large garlic cloves largely diced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sumac
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound beef cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 large onion diced
- 24 ounces fresh or frozen okra
- 15 ounces can diced tomatoes
- 1 fresh lemon optional
Instructions
- Into a large, heavy bottom stockpot, add in 3 to 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, beef, ½ teaspoons allspice, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sumac, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and garlic. Brown on medium heat.
- Add in the diced onions to the browned beef, and sauté until translucent in color.
- Add in ½ cup of water to the browned beef, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and allow it to simmer for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the frozen or fresh okra into the pot with the beef. Give it a gentle stir. Raise the heat to high. Cook the okra until it is a bright green color. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add in the tomato sauce and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Add in remaining seasoning and water. Give it a gentile stir. Raise temperature to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Cover, and let it simmer for 40 minutes.
- Serve with gluten free rice with vermicelli. You can also squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over individual servings for an extra bright flavor.
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