Bamya (okra) in tomato sauce

Stewed okra in tomato sauce, otherwise known as bamya, is one of my favorite Mediterranean foods. It can be made as a side dish or as a main dish and is often served in Sephardic communities for Rosh Hashanah.

This dish is common in many countries and although it can be made with meat for a festive meal, I love the simplicity of the vegan version.

I always choose tender, fresh okra when it’s available but you can use frozen whole baby okra when fresh isn’t in season.

Most bamya recipes are similar but my recipe is more like the Greek version: I use basic pantry staples like fresh garlic, onion, olive oil, lemon juice and tomato paste for a simple, thicker tomato sauce.

If you’ve tried okra and didn’t care for it, I encourage you to make my version and give it another try. If you’re cooking for health and eating a Mediterranean-style diet, this is simple to make for a weeknight meal.

This recipe calls for 1 pound of okra, which serves two people as a main dish or four as a side dish. Double (or triple) the recipe if you’re cooking for a larger crowd.

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh okra or frozen baby okra
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons Aleppo pepper or Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
Water to cover, about 2 cups
Juice of 1 lemon (about ¼ cup)
Lemon wedges and fresh Italian parsley to garnish, optional

Dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves and set aside.

If you’re using frozen okra, you can skip to the next step. If you’re using fresh okra, put the whole pods in a bowl, cover with water and let it soak for about a half-hour.

Pour off the water and check for any dirt before putting the pods aside to air-dry, or pat them with a paper towel before you trim them. Trim the okra carefully using the sharpest paring knife that you own. There is a line separating the stem and bottom area that goes around each piece near the stem end. Use that as your guide to slice, discarding the tops, then slice a tiny bit (about 2 millimeters) from the bottom. You don’t want the pod to open and the seeds to show, so cut off as little as possible.

Using a sauce pan or a sauté pan that is not too wide, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to warm over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the diced onion to sauté for 10 minutes.

The okra will be sautéed in 2 batches, so put a dish on the stovetop to transfer the okra to after each batch. This is especially necessary if you’re doubling the recipe.

Stir each batch in with the onions and oil, turning over regularly, to sauté for about 5 minutes, remove that batch to the dish on the side and add the next batch of okra to the pot. If the pot seems dry add olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. Olive oil is healthy and adds richness to vegan dishes, so don’t be afraid to use a little extra if needed.

If using frozen okra, add another 5 minutes to sauté the okra pods.

When all of the okra has been sautéed, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and turn down the heat to medium-low. Most of the onions will be in with the okra, but if there are any left in the pot, leave them there and add in the minced garlic.

Sauté until fragrant, then add in pepper of your choice and stir constantly for 30 seconds before adding the tomato paste to the oil, garlic and pepper.

Stir constantly for about a minute and add ¼ cup of water to deglaze the pot and to help the tomato sauce come together.

Add the okra back into the pot, folding it over with a spoon so that the tomato mixture coats all of the okra.

Add the sea salt and enough cold water to the pot to cover the okra by 1 inch and raise the heat to medium high. It should take about 10 minutes for the okra to come up to a gentle boil.

Stir in the fresh lemon juice and sugar and put a tight-fitting lid onto the pot before reducing the heat to medium-low.

Simmer covered for 25 minutes before checking the okra. You should be able to easily pierce a fork through the okra, but the pods should retain some firmness. Taste the sauce to see if it needs more salt, pepper or lemon juice and season to taste.

Some people prefer a thinner sauce to a thicker sauce. You can add a little more water and likewise reduce a sauce to a thicker consistency by simmering at the end for 5-10 minutes with the lid removed from the pot. You can cook a batch of rice while the okra is cooking; I like to serve this over rice even when I’m serving this as a side dish.

Serve immediately with pita or fresh bread to catch every bit of the sauce.

Enjoy and bless your hands! PJC

Jessica Grann is a home chef living in Pittsburgh.