Middle Eastern Okra And Zucchini In Tomato Sauce Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE OKRA RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (or pan with a lid) over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic and chopped jalapeno peppers. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes stirring regularly (do not let the garlic burn, if needed adjust heat).
• Add the okra and sautee for 5 to 7 minutes over medium-high heat.
• Season with kosher salt, black pepper and spices. Toss to coat.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and water. Stir to combine. Add the tomato slices on top. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover most of the way (leave a little opening at the top). Let the okra simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the okra has softened. Uncover and add juice of ½ lime (more to your liking).
• Remove from heat and serve over rice or with warm pita bread.

BAMYA MIDDLE EASTERN OKRA STEW

Steps:

• Start by cutting the tips off using a small knife, then wash the okra and drain well.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot, then saute a diced onion until it's soft and translucent.
• Add the washed okra to the pot, and saute for a few minutes. Add a crushed garlic to the pot and cook until fragrant.
• Add bay leaves, ground cumin, and turmeric. followed by vegetable stock to cover the okra, and cook for 20 minutes until the okra is cooked.
• Add a can of diced tomatoes, or fresh sliced tomatoes. And cook for 15 more minutes. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add salt.
• Serve warm over rice.

MIDDLE EASTERN OKRA AND ZUCCHINI IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Saute onions in olive oil until they begin to brown over medium heat.
• Once browning begins, add garlic, and stir for a minute or so.
• Add sliced zucchini, and cook for about 2 minutes or until zucchini begins to soften just a tiny bit. Add thawed okra.
• Sprinkle the vegetables with several palmfuls of Penzey's Turkish seasoning, or any Middle Eastern seasoning blend including cumin, garlic, pepper, and salt. Stir to coat all vegetables, and cook for several minutes.
• Once the spices start becoming fragrant, add two cans of diced tomatoes and stir well. Reduce heat and cook for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how soft you like your vegetables, and how thick you want your sauce to be.
• Right before serving, add the juice of the lemon, fresh parsley, and stir.
• Enjoy!!! Serve with kebabs, lamb burgers, couscous, pita bread, etc.

MEDITERRANEAN OKRA AND TOMATO STEW

Steps:

• Trim the stems off the okra, and place in a large bowl. Salt generously, douse with the vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain the okra, and rinse thoroughly.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole. Add the onions. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the okra, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until the edges begin to color. Add the garlic, stir together for about half a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, allspice and sugar. Add water if necessary to just cover the okra. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes until the okra is very tender. Add the parsley and lemon juice, and simmer another five minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

SHAKSHUKA (MIDDLE EASTERN BREAKFAST DISH)

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and hot pepper sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Make 4 wells in the tomato mixture, and crack the eggs into each well. Do not stir. Cover and cook until eggs are desired consistency, about 3 minutes for soft yolks. Carefully remove the eggs from the skillet and serve with the tomato sauce.

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE OKRA

Steps:

• Over medium low heat, gently saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are transparent and just starting to color. Add tomatoes and crushed coriander seeds, and cook 5 minutes, until tomatoes have given off their liquid. Add salt if desired.
• Trim the stems from the okra, and add to tomato-onion mixture. Mix well and add water. Start with 1/2 cup; more can be added as necessary.
• Turn heat down to low. Cover okra, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the okra is tender. Stir occasionally, and add more water if the vegetables start to stick.
• Just before serving, add the lemon juice, mixing well.

BAMIEH (MIDDLE EASTERN OKRA STEW)

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, salt and black pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned a light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add the lamb, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and garlic paste. Cook on medium heat until the lamb starts to brown, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste; cook and stir for another 5 minutes.
• Dissolve the beef bouillon cubes in 4 cups of boiling water. Pour the broth into the pot with the lamb and stir in the okra. If necessary, add water to cover the okra. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour until the lamb is very tender and the stew reaches your desired thickness.