Okra isn’t one of those vegetables that gets a lot of respect, and you either love it or hate it.  If you love it though – this recipe is a must-try.  Savoury and homey, this curry is served usually with rice but can certainly be eaten on its own or with dry bread is a great and healthy meal.

Time:

1 hour

Serves:

8

Good for:

• Savoury and rich flavours
• Hearty and warm
• Easily converts to a vegetarian option

Ingredients:

• 800g of frozen okra (fresh is an option but needs more time to clean)
• 400g small cubed lamb meat with some fat preferably (if you are opting for vegetarian replace with more okra)
• 700g of diced Tomato
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 6 cloves of garlic (peeled) – this can vary depending on preference
• 1 tbsp allspice or seven spice if you have it
• 1 tbsp of Turmeric
• 3 tbsp of Tomato Paste
• 3 cups of water (boiling)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Kitchen things you’ll need:

• Large pot

Making it:

• Sautee the meat with the spices until brown.
• Add the water, tomato paste and tomatoes and cook with the meat until fully cooked (about 10-15 min).
• Before adding the okra, make sure that the sauce has thickened to a curry consistency.
• Add the okra and the garlic to the mixture, let it cook until the okra is tender but not mushy.
• Add the seasoning and lemon juice to the mixture and stir for another few minutes.
• Serve on a bed of cooked rice.
• You can substitute the lemon juice with some tamarind to taste.

Tips/notes:

• When serving with rice, make sure you use long-grain basmati rice.
• This can be cooked ahead of time and usually tastes better if warmed up for serving the next day.
• Fresh okra usually takes longer to cook than frozen.