Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
Serves
Serves 4
Dietary
Vegetarian
By Matt TebbuttFrom Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the braised okra
- 400g/14oz whole okra
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse salt, to taste
- dash oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 green chillies, diced
- 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 bunch coriander, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 6 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the crispy fried okra
- oil, for deep-frying
- 1 handful okra, sliced into chunks
- 250ml/9fl oz buttermilk
- 100g/3½oz chickpea flour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 200g/7oz polenta
Method
To make the braised okra in tomato, place the okra in a bowl and drizzle the white wine vinegar and sprinkle salt over it. Toss together and leave for 30 minutes, then rinse drain and roughly chop.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/Gas 6. Heat a dash of oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic with the coriander, cumin and paprika for 10 minutes. Add the okra to the pan with the chilli, tomatoes, chopped coriander and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Simmer to thicken a little and then lay the sliced tomatoes over the top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20–30 minutes.
To make the crispy fried okra, heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Put the sliced okra into a bowl with the buttermilk. Combine the flour with the paprika, garlic power, black pepper and polenta in a bowl. Dip the soaked okra in the seasoned flour and polenta mix and then carefully lower into the fryer and cook for a few minutes until crisp and golden-brown. Carefully remove and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Serve the crisp okra with the braised okra stew.