Okra is another one of my favorite vegetables.  It is very nutritional and extremely healthy.  In the states, okra is mostly served in the Southern States, where it is coated in flour and deep fried.  This is an alternative to cooking okra, but I believe the traditional way is much healtier.  Many Middle Eastern, European countries as well as India and Pakistan, cook okra as I have.  The only difference is in the spices we use, especially in Indian and Pakistani cooking the spices used give the meal an extraordinary flavor.   

This year I was a bit early for okra, picking starts in August and ends in September.  Last years, I was in Turkey around that time and every day I would ask my grandmother to make more and more. 

Okra – Bamya

2 Frozen packs of okra – Size zero 400 grams (used Montana brand)

2 Medium onions – diced/ chopped

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1/3 cups of olive oil

½ juice of lemon

2 teaspoon of salt (depends on taste buds)

Pinch of black pepper

3 cups of water

I used frozen Montana brand okra, cut the packs open and place the okra in a drainer and wash with cold water, leave a side.  Dice the onions finely and place in cooking pot with 1/3 cups of olive oil.  Sauté the onions till they become translucent and are soft, add tomato paste and stir for couple of seconds making sure the paste is mixed thoroughly with the onions.  Add in the okra, salt, black pepper, lemon juice and water and stir till everything is mixed in evenly.  Cook at medium heat for about half hour, add extra water if you feel as if it is not enough.  You will understand when the okra is cooked; it becomes soft and becomes a nice color.

Note: Lemon juice is added for flavoring and most importantly to prevent the okra from becoming slimy.

Montana Okra, Diced Onions, Olivo’s Olive & Pomace Oil

Canada these products can be easily found in Arabic Grocery Stores

 

Montana Okra and other brands of Okra as well as Olivo’s Olive & Pomace Oil along with a large variety of OLIVE OILS, ORGANIC OLIVE OILS can also be found in Middle Eastern & Greek Specialty Stores – Variety of Frozen Goods & Olieve Oil’s are Available for sale at A&D Turkish Halal Meat Market & Grocery Market 7919 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209

Basmati Rice

Basmati Rice

• 2 cups of long grain basmati rice
• 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 3 1/2 cups of water – can use chicken stock as well

Place the 2 cups of rice in a drainer and wash with cold water several time and leave to side to drain the excess water.  Over a medium heat in a deep cooking pot heat the vegetable oil.  Drop the drained rice over the oil and stir for about a minute. (You are sauteing the rice in the oil – this method give the rice a nice flavor.)  Add water, salt and stir till all is mixed.  Cook over medium heat, till the rice obsorbs all the water.  Place a paper towel over the top of the pot and set a side for a while. Before serving mix the rice, you should have obtained a nice texture for the rice.

Enjoy….

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