J (the friend) suggested that I use it for barbecuing meat, and while my better half would totally relish in the fact that I'd cook a big piece of meat for him, I needed to think of something that I already knew how to make with veggies. But of course! Okra and tomatoes! It's a perfect African Creole canvas for a new blend of African spices. I couldn't wait to chug through exercise class to get home to make it.
Be forewarned: It is slimy. If you don't like okra, you might want to try something else, like green beans. If you haven't had okra before, saddle up and brave your way through this recipe. Come on, it's healthy.
To have:
2-3 tsp canola oil (or any vegetable oil)
1 small onion, finely chopped
6-8 cloves of garlic (or more--I'm a fiend), finely chopped
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tsp Ethiopian Berbere (spice mix--you can make it yourself; check it out)
1 large can diced tomatoes (I used a 796 mL can), drained
4 cups chopped raw okra (buy whole/frozen; I used 2 bags of 300 g each)
1/4 tsp lemon juice (if you have it)
1-2 cups frozen corn kernels (optional)
To do:
1. Saute the onions and red pepper flakes in 1-2 tsp of the oil on medium-high. Start the heat on high, let the onions sizzle for a few minutes, and reduce heat to medium. Let sit for around 7 minutes or longer to increase the depth of that sweet onion-y flavor. You know you love it.
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| Adding in the Berbere |
2. Add in the garlic and Berbere as well as 1 tsp of oil. Mix until the spices adhere to the onions to form a paste-like amalgam. Yeah, I didn't want to say "mix" again.
3. Pile in the tomatoes and okra. Add the corn if you want it in there for extra pizzazz. Stir. Cover and cook for around 10 minutes on low to medium, depending on your machine. Add in the lemon juice. Stir again.
4. Get your slime on. Pour the stewed veggies over rice to have a truly vegan, truly African meal.
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| Stewed Okra & Tomatoes with Berbere |
