Okra with Tomato Sauce

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Ingredients: 1 pound okra
¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
1 ½ cups finely chopped cilantro

Trim the okra by cutting off the tip and tough stem end. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the okra and cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, and lemon juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Remove from the heat and serve immediately as a side dish.

Okra and Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon chili flakes
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
4 white peppercorns
1/3 cup dried coconut
1 pound okra
2 tablespoons oil
2 onions, sliced
3 garlic gloves, crushed
14 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into quarters
1 large tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
steamed rice or flat bread, to serve

serves 4-6 as a side dish

Grind the chili flakes, turmeric, cumin, peppercorns, and coconut in a spice mill or in a mortar using a pestle until uniform. Trim the okra by cutting off the tip and tough stem end, being careful not to cut into the body of the okra.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes or until the onion is light brown. Stir in the spice mixture and fry for 1 minute. Add the okra, chicken, tomato, sugar, coconut milk, and chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and 1 teaspoon sea salt and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Check the seasoning. Serve the curry with steamed rice or flatbread.

Source: The Produce Bible by Leanne Kitchen