Prep 15 min cook 10 min
This recipe will have you enjoy the sweet, grassy flavor of okra without the glutenous texture it sometimes acquires when cooked in a stew or sauce.
One of my most memorable childhood memories is the distinctive aroma of garlic and coriander seeds being sautéed. It permeated our entire home in Cairo, usually on Sunday lunchtime when that mix was used to flavor our usual Sunday treat – Molokheya, one of Egypt’s national dishes.
I have used that delicious combination to flavor a filet of white fish. See recipe.
In this recipe, I use it to flavor charred Okra to make a perfect side dish for any grilled meat, fish or poultry dish. Or a delicious vegetarian meal on its own on a bed of rice or a grain.
Charred Okra With Garlic Coriander Seeds
by
Derek Farwagi
Equipment
- A 8"-9" frying pan
- A spice grinder If you do not have a spice grinder but a mortar and pestle, use them to crush the garlic and coriander seeds together. In which case you need to use finely chopped garlic cloves and use 3 tsp of those.
- A small bowl.
Ingredients
- ½ lb fresh okra buy the smallest okra you can get. Very large ones can get stringy.
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp freshly ground coriander seeds do not buy the fine coriander powder frequently sold in stores. It will sauté well and you will not get the aroma or crunch that freshly ground seeds provide.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Mix the crushed garlic and finely ground coriander seeds into a paste and set aside in a small bowl.
- Wash and pat dry the okra. Remove the stems (without breaking into the flesh), slice the okra in half lengthwise. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
- In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil on medium high heat. Add Okra cut side down and cook for about 5 minutes undisturbed. Flip the okra and cook another 30 seconds. (Work in batches if the frying pan cannot accommodate all the okra lying flat).
- Turn fire to low, push the okra to one side and add 1 tbsp butter and a little oil to the pan. When the butter has melted and starts bubbling, blend in the ground coriander and garlic with the butter and oil and cook for a minute to release the aroma.
- With a spatula, gently mix with the okra, cook for a minute longer and serve with a drizzle of lemon juice (optional).
Nutrition
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