Beef Okra Middle Eastern Dish (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Meat and Vegetables
01 -
Beef chunks or chuck roast, diced into 1¼ inch cubes (1¼ pounds)
02 -
Small okra pods (14 ounce package)
03 -
Chopped yellow onion
04 -
Finely chopped fresh garlic (6 cloves)
05 -
Diced Roma tomatoes (3)
→ Spices and Seasonings
06 -
Coriander powder (½ teaspoon)
07 -
Cumin powder (½ teaspoon)
08 -
Turmeric powder (¼ teaspoon)
09 -
Allspice powder (¼ teaspoon)
10 -
Cinnamon powder (¼ teaspoon)
11 -
White pepper powder (¼ teaspoon)
12 -
Crushed black pepper (¼ teaspoon)
13 -
One whole cinnamon stick
14 -
Kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
→ Sauce and Aromatics
15 -
Cooking oil (3 tablespoons)
16 -
Tomato paste (2 tablespoons)
17 -
Beef broth (2 cups)
18 -
Pomegranate molasses (1 tablespoon)
19 -
Squeezed lemon juice (2 tablespoons)
20 -
Roughly chopped fresh cilantro (¼ cup)
→ For Serving
21 -
Cooked vermicelli rice
# Instructions:
01 -
Pour 1 tablespoon oil into a big pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle meat with kosher salt and cook in small batches until browned, about 2-3 minutes each. Set aside on a plate.
02 -
Using the same pot, warm 1 tablespoon oil and cook the onions until see-through, about 5-7 minutes. Toss in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir for 30-60 seconds until it smells good. Mix in chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they've softened.
03 -
Put the meat back in the pot. Throw in all your spices, the cinnamon stick, beef broth, water, and pomegranate molasses. Scrape the pot bottom to get all those tasty browned bits mixed in.
04 -
Let it come to a boil, then turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes until the meat gets nice and tender.
05 -
In a separate pan, heat the leftover oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the okra and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned. Add to your stew and let it simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
06 -
Turn off the stove, mix in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve hot with vermicelli rice on the side.
# Notes:
01 -
You can swap the individual spices with 1½ teaspoons of seven spice blend (just add white pepper separately).
02 -
When using frozen okra, make sure to thaw it, drain well, and pat dry before frying to avoid hot oil splashes.