:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2020__04__20200408-spiced-okra-sho-spaeth-2-57bf0dae6c2d4a44ada1075690389574.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "Spiced Okra With Tomatoes Recipe")
Why It Works
- Toasting and grinding full spices intensify the spices’ aroma and style.
- Blooming the spices in scorching oil improves their style.
- Browning the onions imparts a savory sweetness to the dish.
- Tomato paste intensifies the savoriness of the cooking liquid.
Considered one of many first points I bought when it turned clear we might should isolate at home was a number of baggage of frozen okra, and I don’t truly know why.
I like okra tons, constructive, nonetheless of the quite a few meals that appeared low-cost to high off on, like beans and pasta and rice—oh god, I didn’t buy enough rice—frozen okra wouldn’t appear to be will probably be extreme on the report of any nonetheless primarily probably the most rabid okra-lover.
Anyway, these baggage of frozen okra ended up taking over some prime freezer precise property, which meant (a number of of) the okra wanted to go, so that is what I made with it.
That’s how I usually put collectively the frozen okra I buy, which comes as little full pods (versus pre-sliced). There are fewer seeds, which is kind of sad, nonetheless, nonetheless, I’ve found I favor cooking your complete mini okra than cut-up mature okra, given that full pods don’t launch that mucilaginous stuff—which, don’t get me unsuitable, I’m a fan of in certain contexts nonetheless not frequently.
That being talked about, frozen reduce okra would work proper right here, too, as would any frozen greens. That’s principally solely a flavorful sauce whereby any kind of vegetable may be cooked to good influence. The one issue to recollect is that the greens, regardless of they’re, are best when on the sweeter facet, as that sweetness may be very good when paired with the heat from the chile, the spices, and the acidity of the tomatoes. What that means is good inexperienced beans would work correctly whereas a canned or dried bean is probably too starchy and by no means sweet enough for this specific preparation.
The spice mixture I exploit consists of spices that many, many people might have available at any given time, given how ubiquitous coriander and cumin are in numerous fully totally different cuisines. If you happen to would not have the cardamom, that’s good—skip it.
For the tomato throughout the recipe, it is best to be at liberty to learn from regardless of you’ll have: It’s best to use selfmade tomato sauce, pizza sauce, or the jarred stuff, nonetheless it is also doable to make use of a tomato purée (like handed or just some canned full tomatoes you have acquired blitzed in a blender).
My partner and I ate this okra wrapped in frozen store-bought parathas since I was feeling lazy, nonetheless it’s also possible to make your particular person parathas, wrap the okra in a pita, and even wrap it in a tortilla (or add it to a quesadilla!). It’s also pretty good over rice, significantly you in all probability have some pickleor Indian pickles, in your fridge, although one factor acidic and pickle-y of just about any kind could be good with it, too.
Spiced Okra With Tomatoes Recipe
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For the Spice Mix:
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1 tablespoon full cumin seeds
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1 tablespoon full coriander seeds
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2 pods inexperienced cardamom (optionally out there)
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1 full dried habanero (optionally out there) (see notes)
For the Okra:
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2 tablespoons (30ml) neutral cooking oilakin to canola
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1 medium yellow oniondiced
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Kosher salt
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2 medium cloves garlicminced
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One 1-inch piece ginger (1/2 ounce; 15g), smashed and minced
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1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
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1 cup (240ml) water
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1/2 cup (120ml) tomato sauce, selfmade or store-bought (see notes)
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One 14–ounce bag frozen okra pods (see notes)
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Cilantro leaves and tender stemsfor garnish
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Lime wedgesfor serving
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For the Spice Mixture: Combine cumin, coriander, cardamom (if using), and dried habanero (if using) in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Toast spices until fragrant, about 2 minutes. When cool enough to take care of, take away cardamom pods, then place remaining spices in spice grinder or mortar. Using fingers, crack open cardamom pods and take away seeds contained inside; discard hull. Add cardamom seeds to totally different spices. Using spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind spices to good powder. Put apart.
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For the Okra: Heat canola oil in Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and salt and put together dinner, stirring generally with a picket spoon, until onions are golden and easily starting to brown, about Quarter-hour.
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Stir in garlic and ginger and put together dinner until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, stir and put together dinner until paste has colored the contents of the pot a reddish-brown, about 1 minute. Mound onions, ginger, and garlic in center of pot and add spice mixture immediately on prime (that’s to guard in opposition to scorching the spices). Stir collectively, then put together dinner until spices are bloomed and mixture could possibly be very fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add water and stir, scraping bottom of pot with picket spoon to dislodge any stuck-on bits. Add tomato sauce and okra and stir to interrupt up frozen okra. (Okra objects must be merely submerged throughout the liquid; if not, add further water to cowl them). Convey contents of pot to a boil, cut back heat to low, and simmer, stirring generally, until okra is tender, most of additional liquid has cooked off, and okra is thickly coated in sauce, 10-Quarter-hour. Prime with cilantro and serve immediately as half of an even bigger meal with rice or paratha, passing lime wedges alongside.
Explicit Gear
Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan
Notes
Within the occasion you prefer to utilize a a lot much less spicy dried chile pepper, you can substitute one dried chile arbol or dried Kashmiri crimson chile. You can also omit the chile pepper solely.
My native retailers all carry Montana Frozen Little one Okra, which I like tons because of the okra come as diminutive nonetheless full pods. It’s best to use regardless of frozen okra is on the market to you, nonetheless take word reduce okra will lend the sauce okra’s attribute sliminess, which isn’t a nasty issue, primarily. Total pods just isn’t going to.
For the tomato sauce, if you don’t have any available, it is also doable to make use of tomato purée, like handedor you can blitz a can of full peeled tomatoes using an immersion blender or blender.
Make-Ahead and Storage
In an airtight container throughout the fridge, this okra dish retains for about one week.