In my hometown of Antakya, we would not only enjoy fresh okra in summer but also dried okra later in the year. There are many ways to enjoy okra throughout Türkiye (Turkey); as stew, flavoured with lemon juice; as a soup in central Anatolia; and in some regions meat is added. In the south, okra is combined with earthy chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for a substantial meal. Sumak ekşisi (sumac juice made from crushed sumac berries in water) can also be used to intensify the sour taste. With our southern Turkish heritage, this is how my mother would cook okra, with plenty of lemon juice, extra tang from ground sumac and freshness from dried mint (a must for us as it elevates the taste and works well with the sour sauce). I absolutely adore this humble, delicious, wholesome dish that is so easy to make. It’s not always easy to get fresh okra, although frozen okra is readily available and works very well.
Serves:
4
Ingrediants
- 450 g (1 lb) fresh or frozen okra
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 400 g (14 oz) tin pre- cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (discard any loose skins)
- juice of 1 medium lemon
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 230 ml (8 fl oz/scant 1 cup) water
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon ground sumac (we like this meal quite sour; use more or less to your taste)
- bread or plain rice, to serve
If using fresh okra, wash, gently pat dry and only trim 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 a 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 the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25–30 minutes until the okra is cooked but still firm, not mushy. Gently stir only a few times so that the okra remain 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.
Note: 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.
Recipe extracted from Sebze: Vegetarian Recipes from My Turkish Kitchen by Özlem Warren
Published by Hardie Grant Books | Photography by Sam A Harris
