Okra, or “bamieh” in Arabic, is a staple of traditional Lebanese cuisine and the basis of a variety of vegetable stews. Typically fried or sauteed, it can be made with or without meat and is often served alongside rice and vermicelli. Grown mostly in the north of the country, this quintessential summer vegetable is in season now, but can be found frozen year-round. Our simple, light recipe embraces the freshness of summertime by highlighting local ingredients and forgoing the frying pan—calling for just a dash of oil as a garnish. Assembled in minutes and cooked to perfection in the steam oven, this dish can be enjoyed room temperature as a starter for lunch or dinner.
THE RECIPE
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 30 minutes.
- Serves 3
Ingredients
- 200g frozen or fresh green bamieh
- 15g tomato paste
- 140g tomato sauce
- 100g diced fresh tomatoes (about 1-2 medium-sized tomatoes)
- 5g onion powder
- 5g salt
- 2g sweet black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Preheat oven to 100°C using steam setting.
- Mix together tomato paste, tomato sauce, and spices in porcelain dish.
- Incorporate diced tomatoes and bamieh to the mixture.
- Place the dish on a tray inside the oven on the level 2 rack.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven to cool, drizzle with olive oil, and enjoy.