Fadi Kattan’s Yakhni Bamia

Bamia, or okra, is one of Fadi’s favourite vegetables — and he thinks it’s very underrated. Different sizes and types of okra are enjoyed across large parts of the world, particularly in African and Asian communities.

In Palestine, okra appears in the markets around mid-May to early June when the weather warms up. Fadi loves this time of year, not least because it means he can play with bamia recipes — sometimes deep frying it like chips with a little spice, other times making it the traditional way.

Years ago, Fadi had the pleasure of cooking bamia with Mohamad Hadid — father of supermodels Gigi and Bella — a Palestinian-American originally from Nazareth and Safad. His mother’s recipe is remarkably close to Fadi’s own family recipe, despite her being from the north of the country and having lived in exile since 1948.

Ingredients

For the stew:

• Olive oil
• 2 onions — 1 finely chopped, 1 diced
• Salt
• 500g lamb shoulder, cut into medium-size cubes
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 4 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 400g tomato sauce
• 240ml water, plus warm water as needed
• 10 garlic cloves — 6 crushed, 4 left whole
• 2 bunches of fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 800g okra, smallest size, fresh or frozen and thawed, trimmed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ lemon
• Hot cooked rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and ¼ tsp salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lamb and black pepper and brown the cubes, turning and stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir well for 2 minutes.
2. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom and 200g of the tomato sauce. Add the water and leave to cook over a medium heat for 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat another 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep pan over a medium heat. Add the diced onion, crushed garlic and half the coriander. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the okra, cumin and ¼ tsp salt. Sauté, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until the okra is cooked through and golden. Add the remaining 200g tomato sauce and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the okra is tender but not mushy. If needed to prevent sticking, add up to 120ml warm water.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb into the pot with the okra. Pour the cooking liquid through a sieve over the meat until the stew reaches a good consistency. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the lamb and okra are soft.
6. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the remaining coriander and whole garlic cloves and fry until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. This is the tasha. Add it to the stew, squeeze over the lemon and serve with rice.