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Author Topic: How to Cook Bamia (Okra)
* 7ayat *
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hey guys how are you? i've started to cook last week, and i have a bit of a problem. as you guys (at least the egyptians) know most of the egyptian vegetable are cooked the same way. i made fasolia, and besela and both turned up good especially the latter. today i tried using the same recipe to make bamia (and i love bamia) and it doesnt seem right. it doesnt taste awful, but it doesnt have that special bamia taste! [Frown] so i was wondering if any of you guys might know what is missing in the recipe?

ok i used :two onions, two tomatoes, 1 spoon garlic, 1 spoon tomato sauce, 2 magi, 1/4 tea spoon salt and 1/4 tea spoon pepper, and two cubes butter.i put them all together and cooked on a low fire, and added half a glass of water once. so guys what is missing? does bamia need soemthing that other vegetables dont need?

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Sadeeqy
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1 lb/500 g young okra, 2-3 tablespoons oil, 5-6 tomatoes, 2 onions, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon mixed chopped parsley and dill, salt


Clean the okra, wash and keep in water with salt and vinegar for 30-40 minutes. In the meantime, finely chop the onion and fry in oil until yellow. Add the peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes, then the okra, vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix gently and simmer, covered, at low heat. When almost done, add the chopped parsley and dill. You may serve this dish warm; however, it is much tastier when cold.

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* 7ayat *
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hi sadeeqy how are you? thanks for the recipe, i wonder where did you get it from? becacuse in egypt we usually eat the okra hot
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Sadeeqy
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Hi, 7ayat! The dish is better hot when you prepare it with meat (lamb or beef). But when it's without meat, beleive me, it's much more tastier when cold. [Smile]

The recipe it's a romanian one. [Big Grin]

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Dalia
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Okra in Spicy Gravy

Ingredients:

1/2 kg tender okra (bhendi)
2 large onion, chopped finely
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste


Fry chopped 1 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, grated 1/2 cup coconut, in oil and grind to a fine paste.

Mix 1/2 cup tamarind juice, salt to taste and make a fine paste.
Mix 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, chopped 3 green chilies, 3 tbsp coriander leaves and grind to a fine paste.

Wash and dry the bhendis. Cut off the tips and stalks. Slit each down to 3/4th of it's length.

Mix all three ground pastes and stuff the bhendis with the mixture.

Heat oil in a pan and add the remaining chopped onions. Fry them until brown. To this, add turmeric, garam masala, chili powder and salt to taste. Fry for another 2 minutes.

Arrange the stuffed bhendis over this masala. Cover with a deep lid and pour water into the lid.

Cook on a low flame till bhendis are tender.

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* 7ayat *
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thanks dalia ill try that recipe, it looks yummy [Smile]

and isa ill call my friend tomorrow in egypt to try to figure out why my egyptian bamia didnt taste good [Smile]

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Dalia
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I don't know how easy it is go get tamarind juice where you live. I make a very similar version without and it's delicious.


I use fresh chili peppers instead of dried powder, though, and I put in lots of them.

[Cool]

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ViVaLaDiVa
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I have never seen Tamarind in egypt ,and i searched so much for it.
Btw im interested why egyptians like to cook vegetables the same way.I mean all are in tomato sauce.potato,okra and so on..

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Dalia
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quote:
Originally posted by ViVaLaDiVa:
I have never seen Tamarind in egypt ,and i searched so much for it.

That's weird ... it should be widely available.


It's called Tamr Hindi – Indian date.

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Nanouk
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quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
Does bamia need soemthing that other vegetables dont need?

Probably more time than the bessela and fassolia.
Did the sauce end up having the messabekka look and taste or is it just the bamia that was off?
Did you buy it fresh or frozen?
Most frozen foods are blanched which means that they are partially cooked.

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* 7ayat *
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quote:
Originally posted by Nanouk:
quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
Does bamia need soemthing that other vegetables dont need?

Probably more time than the bessela and fassolia.
Did the sauce end up having the messabekka look and taste or is it just the bamia that was off?
Did you buy it fresh or frozen?
Most frozen foods are blanched which means that they are partially cooked.

hi how are you? the bamia i bought was frozen because i live in sydney and fresh bamia is very difficult to find. the problem i think was in the sauce, it was basically tasteless! so you think i needed to leave it longer?
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Nanouk
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quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
hi how are you? the bamia i bought was frozen because i live in sydney and fresh bamia is very difficult to find. the problem i think was in the sauce, it was basically tasteless! so you think i needed to leave it longer?

Frozen is OK too, you know the sauce is done when the fat starts appearing on top of the sauce, that is what is called "tasbeek" and when all the flavors are blended. It requires that the dish be covered and the heat kept are low as possible for as long as it needs.
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* 7ayat *
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well i kept it for a long time (an hour and a half)on a very low fire, but i didnt have it covered [Smile] and after a while i just put the fire off because i was worried that id burn it. thanks nanouk for your help, you are very sweet [Smile]
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Nanouk
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quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
well i kept it for a long time (an hour and a half)on a very low fire, but i didnt have it covered [Smile] and after a while i just put the fire off because i was worried that id burn it. thanks nanouk for your help, you are very sweet [Smile]

You're welcome, but my original guess was wrong. [Smile]
It seems that it went for too long!
I estimate that it should be ready between 30 and 50 minutes.

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daria1975
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quote:
Originally posted by Tigerman:
How to Cook Bamia (Okra)


Well do not ..It is Yucky ...I do not like it at all ...

Really? Me either...but I thought it was a staple in Egypt. It's one of the reasons I don't like Cajun food that much.
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yazid904
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Tamr Hind (tamarind) is a kind of spicy bitter snack made into something 'tambrim' balls and it is good. Straight from tree it is bittah but tasty. Okra is great but it depends who is making it. In my country we mix it with bhaji and perhaps some na'an or paratha with dhalpuree)
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Sadeeqy
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quote:
Originally posted by Tigerman:
..It is Yucky ...I do not like it at all ...

"You may not like them, so you say. Try them. Try them once today."... [Big Grin] [Big Grin] [Big Grin]
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MK the Most Interlectual
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quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
7ayat- nefsi fe sobya

What is Sobya? [Confused]
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Sadeeqy
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quote:
Originally posted by Tigerman:
I will not eat them here or there ...I will not eat them anywhere ....

"If you've got one on your tummy,
Then it's yummy like a bunny
If you don't, then you're a scrawny,
Funny, crummy, bummy dummy..."

[Big Grin] [Big Grin] [Big Grin]

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* 7ayat *
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quote:
Originally posted by MyKingdomForATaba2Koshari:
quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
7ayat- nefsi fe sobya

What is Sobya? [Confused]
eh dah ya my kingdom arent you egyptian? sobya is a very popular local drink!
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Melati
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Tamarind is widely available here, in asian shop its called " asam" which means sour.You can buy fresh, paste or liquid.
I like the fresh one and eat like that- they call it sour but I find it sweet really!.Dalia Im gonna try your recipe too, looks really great.
7aya okra you can get fresh-try the kingsford vege shops, if they are in season they should stock them.I like to put okra in lentil soup so it goes kinda sticky..yummmmmmm

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Dalia
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quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
quote:
Originally posted by MyKingdomForATaba2Koshari:
quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
7ayat- nefsi fe sobya

What is Sobya? [Confused]
eh dah ya my kingdom arent you egyptian? sobya is a very popular local drink!
Tastes great with a dash of brown rum. Otherwise it's too sweet for me.

[Cool]

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tootifrooti
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quote:
Originally posted by 7ayat- nefsi fe sobya:
hey guys how are you? i've started to cook last week, and i have a bit of a problem. as you guys (at least the egyptians) know most of the egyptian vegetable are cooked the same way. i made fasolia, and besela and both turned up good especially the latter. today i tried using the same recipe to make bamia (and i love bamia) and it doesnt seem right. it doesnt taste awful, but it doesnt have that special bamia taste! [Frown] so i was wondering if any of you guys might know what is missing in the recipe?


ok i used :two onions, two tomatoes, 1 spoon garlic, 1 spoon tomato sauce, 2 magi, 1/4 tea spoon salt and 1/4 tea spoon pepper, and two cubes butter.i put them all together and cooked on a low fire, and added half a glass of water once. so guys what is missing? does bamia need soemthing that other vegetables dont need?

7ayat

you forgot the okra!!!! ROFL!!! [Smile]

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* 7ayat *
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quote:
Originally posted by Melati:
Tamarind is widely available here, in asian shop its called " asam" which means sour.You can buy fresh, paste or liquid.
I like the fresh one and eat like that- they call it sour but I find it sweet really!.Dalia Im gonna try your recipe too, looks really great.
7aya okra you can get fresh-try the kingsford vege shops, if they are in season they should stock them.I like to put okra in lentil soup so it goes kinda sticky..yummmmmmm

oh cool! because my in laws told me i have to go all the way to lekemba to get it, and kingsford is so close so thats a better option. do you think they'd have molokheya too?
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Dalia
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Are there any African food stores around where you live?

I usually get fresh okra from African food / cosmetics stores and okra in jars from the Turkish ones of which there are a lot in my neighbourhood – thanks God, I couldn't be without them.


Can't wait to get back to Cairo where you get all this stuff everywhere ... [Cool]

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* 7ayat *
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalia:
Are there any African food stores around where you live?

I usually get fresh okra from African food / cosmetics stores and okra in jars from the Turkish ones of which there are a lot in my neighbourhood – thanks God, I couldn't be without them.


Can't wait to get back to Cairo where you get all this stuff everywhere ... [Cool]

i'm not sure actually, as i'm not familiar with the city yet, but ill definitly look for them [Smile]
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