Okra and Baby Potato Stew

12 Jul

Baby Potato and Okra Stew

Do you believe that okra should never be cooked moist? This okra and baby potato stew will make you re-evaluate that belief! When simmered in a flavorful tomato curry, okra and potatoes get infused with a delicious tang and, thanks to the acidity of the tomatoes, none of the okra slime.

Okra and Potato Stew, Serving with Rice

This recipe is supremely easy to put together – no anxious sun-drying of washed okra, no meticulous wiping with kitchen towel…you can immediately cook the okra post-washing.

Note: Pick very fresh, bright green, tender baby okra for this recipe.

You Need:

[Servies 3-4]

  • Fresh okra – 250 grams
  • Baby potatoes – 250 grams
  • Tomatoes – 4
  • Green chilies – 2
  • Garlic – 6 small cloves (~2 teaspoons when chopped)
  • Salt – to taste
  • Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon (more if you like it hotter)
  • Pepper powder – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Vegetable or peanut oil – 2 teaspoons

Okra, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Garlic

How To Make Okra and Baby Potato Stew:

1. Prep the vegetables

Wash the baby potatoes: In lukewarm water, soak the baby potatoes for 10 minutes. Scrub the skin clean. Wash in a couple of changes of water.

Baby Potatoes Soaking in Water

Note: I cook the baby potatoes with skin on in this recipe, so washed them well. If you’d rather peel the potatoes, go ahead and can do that.

With a fork or toothpick, prick holes all over each baby potato’s surface. [This will help the potatoes cook faster and absorb the flavors of the curry.]

Baby Potatoes, Pierce Holes

Wash the okra. Snip the top off each okra. Cut into 2-inch pieces if the okra is long; anything under 3-inches means you can leave the okra whole.

Okra Pieces

Peel and finely chop garlic cloves. Slit the green chilies vertically.

Garlic and Green Chilies

Quarter the tomatoes and place them in a food processor or mixie.

Tomatoes Ready to be Pureed

Puree the tomatoes.

Tomato Puree

2. Cook

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan. When the oil is hot, add to it cumin seeds and chopped garlic.

Garlic Tadka

After the cumin seeds have spluttered and the garlic turned golden, add to the pan turmeric powder and give it a quick stir.

Add tomato puree to the pan. Bring to a boil. Set heat to its lowest setting. Mix salt, pepper and red chili powder into the bubbling puree. Cook covered, undisturbed, for five minutes.

Tomato Puree, Cooking

Stir the tomato curry, add baby potatoes and green chilies to the pan.

Tomato Puree with Baby Potatoes

Cook for 12-13 minutes with the pan covered. Stir the contents of the pan once or twice in between, for even cooking.

Tip in the okra into the pan.

Potato Tomato Stewed, Adding Okra

Mix. Stew the vegetables covered for another 20 minutes or till the potatoes and okra are tender and have absorbed the flavors of the tomato curry. Stir around once, gently, in between.

Stew Covered and Simmering

Baby potato and okra stew is ready.

Potato and Okra Tomato Stew

Serve hot with rice.

Okra Potato Stew with Rice

Notes:

Like the idea of stews? Check out lauki aloo stew. chow chow stew, express mooli sambar – radish lentil stew.

Interested in more okra recipes? Try dahi bhindi. bhindi do pyaza, okra stuffed with peanut spice.

No comments yet

Leave a Reply