Saed News: Okra stew is one of the delicious and nutritious dishes from the south, known for its unique and pleasant flavor. However, one of the common problems when cooking okra stew is the sliminess of the okra in the stew. We have prepared the secret to preventing the okra from becoming slimy in the stew in the following article.
According to the family magazine service of Saed News, if you have experience cooking okra stew with chicken or meat, you must know that the sliminess of the okra can cause the result to be different from what you expected. This can lead to you abandoning the dish, but we have a solution for this issue, which can also be considered the secret to making a delicious okra stew, discussed below.
To avoid the sliminess of okra stew, follow these tips:
Choose small and firm okra because they have a stronger texture and open less during cooking.
Don't chop large okra into very small pieces; cut them into large pieces so that the stew doesn't become slimy.
Frozen okra is better than fresh okra for stew because the texture of fresh okra is soft and can become slimy after cooking.
When cleaning okra, do not damage the texture of the body, as this can cause it to break and become slimy.
Cook okra stew over moderate heat, as high heat will destroy the okra’s texture and make it slimy.
After cooking, avoid stirring the stew too much or too vigorously, as this can damage the soft texture of the okra.
Adding peas to okra stew can reduce the likelihood of sliminess.
When cleaning the okra, trim its stem slightly, but do not cut the stem off from the base to avoid making the stew slimy.
To make your okra stew even more delicious, follow these tips:
Choose young, small okra: Selecting smaller, younger okra with a dark green color greatly impacts the taste. Make sure there are no black or brown spots on the okra.
Use saffron: If you want your okra stew to be more flavorful and reduce the strong taste of meat, especially when using lamb or beef, make sure to use saffron. It gives the dish an excellent color and aroma.
Lamb meat: Okra stew can be made with chicken, beef, or lamb. For the tastiest stew, use lamb shank meat.
Sauté the okra: Sauté the okra briefly before adding it to the meat to enhance its color and flavor.
Use tamarind: In southern cities, tamarind is used to flavor okra stew. To use tamarind, dilute 50 grams in a bit of boiling water, strain it, and add it to the stew.
Dried lime (limoo omani): To make the stew tastier, use dried limes, as their mild acidity gives a wonderful taste and aroma to the stew. It helps tenderize the meat and balance the sweet and fatty flavors.
Onions and garlic: To enhance the flavor, chop and sauté onions and garlic before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Oil or butter: For sautéing the ingredients and adding seasonings, you can use plant-based oils like olive oil or butter. Butter makes the stew more flavorful.
Tomato paste: To make the stew tastier, you can add one or two tablespoons of tomato paste. It gives the stew color, shine, and a slightly tangy flavor. Make sure to use high-quality, naturally colored tomato paste. Alternatively, you can sauté pureed tomatoes with onions and meat to add more flavor to the stew.
Adding salt and spices: The proper amount of salt and spices is crucial for improving the flavor of okra stew. Use them carefully to achieve the desired taste.
