Okra Stew (Middle Eastern Bamya Recipe)

Step 1

Start by dicing the onion finely and add it to a stock pot along with the vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook it for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent.

Step 2

Season the veal pieces with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Step 3

To the pot with the onions, add the veal pieces and brown them from all sides for about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Cover the veal with about 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and boil for 30 minutes, until the meat is almost very tender. You can also pressure cook the veal for 15 minutes. This step gives the meat a head start on cooking, since it often takes longer than the okra. See notes on doneness of meat.

Step 5

To the same pot, once the veal is a bit more than halfway cooked, add the frozen okra to the pot along with the tomato paste, the roughly chopped garlic, the pomegranate molasses and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Step 6

Add about 3-4 more cups of water in the pot, mix everything well, and bring to a rolling boil on medium heat for roughly 30 minutes.

Step 7

After 30 minutes, check the tenderness of both the okra and the meat. If they are both still slightly firm, add more water (roughly 2-3 cups) and allow it to continue boiling for another 20 minutes.

Step 8

Check the softness of the meat and okra, as well as the seasoning and adjust accordingly by adding more salt and pepper as needed. If okra and meat are both tender, turn heat off and serve.