This and last week, I got okra at my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which is a local farm called PennyPack Farm. I buy 6 shares, and pick up weekly during the season. I actually split my share with a friend as it is a lot of veggies for just one person per week! But it is the best produce…ever! Fresh produce like this makes any and every recipe taste better.
I don’t know what to make with okra except for Bhindi – an Indian okra recipe with garlic, ginger and a few other spices. It is very tasty! But the only part I don’t really like is cutting the okra – it feel slimy when it is sliced. So I slice and quickly throw it into the pan! Here is the recipe! This week I also added an orange bell pepper and use an orange tomato (less acidic than the red ones! And you know I try to do most everything lower acidity and low inflammatory.)
Bhindi Ki Subji (Indian stir fry okra)
Modified from about.com. Original recipe by Petrina Verma Aarkar
Ingredients:
2+ cups fresh okra, tops and tails cut off and diced into 1/4″ pieces
2 tsps ghee, olive or coconut oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 inch ginger, minced
1 inch turmeric root, minced
2 green chilies, chopped fine (less or none if can’t do spicy)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp dry mango powder (found in Indian store) – optional – I have never used it
2 large tomatoes cut into small cubes
Sea salt to taste
Preparation:
Heat the ghee/oil in a wide pan on a medium flame and add the cumin seeds. Fry till they stop sizzling, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the onion, green chili, ginger, turmeric and garlic and fry until the onions turn light brown. Add the okra and mix well. (I usually chop and add okra as I am chopping it vs. waiting until onions are brown)
Add the coriander and dry mango powders and mix again. Season to taste.
Add the tomato and simmer for another 7-10 minutes. If sticking too much to pan, add tbsp. of water.
Serve immediately. I just eat it plain as is. Best when hot, too!
If you have other options for making okra, please feel free to email me some other ideas.
This is also a perfect addition to healthy vegetarian meals, or the detox plan using real food! For more information about The Detox Plan for Athletes and other detox plans, please visit the main website under detox plan here.