Margat Bamia
A thick Iraqi tomato stew with tender okra and chunks of lamb or beef, spicy and rich with homemade flavor.
Ingredients
- okra1 kg
- lamb or beef, cubed0.5 kg
- tomato1 kg
- water720 ml
- garlic3 cloves
- tomato paste2 tbsp
- ground red chili1 tsp
- salt1 to taste
Instructions
Trim the tops off 1 kg of okra. Blend 1 kg of tomatoes in a juicer or press through a sieve to get tomato juice free of skin and seeds.
Pour the tomato juice into a small pot and heat over low heat for 10 minutes, keeping it from boiling hard.
In a separate pot, add 500 g of cubed lamb or beef and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat changes color and is almost done.
Gently add the okra to the meat without stirring, and simmer for 6 minutes so the pods don't fall apart.
Pour in the hot tomato juice, add 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp ground red chili, and salt to taste.
Add 720 ml of water, stir gently, add 2 tbsp tomato paste, and stir again.
Cook the margat bamia uncovered over low heat for 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Serve hot, with rice if desired.
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