I am on a mission of re-discovering our Egyptian cuisine. I am already working on Ramadan recipes & will be showering you with amazing Authentic Egyptian dishes.

I grew up hating okra but then at the age of 20, I fell madly in love with it. I never eat it with rice though, it is always bread & lemon juice.

Cooking okra on the stove is nice but it is nothing compared to oven baked okra. The sauce gets richer, the okra takes the amazing flavor of the tajin & the top becomes nicely browned; adding an amazing depth of flavor to the dish.

Most of you are unfamiliar with the concept of adding tasha to the okra but believe me it takes the flavor to a whole new level. The taste of the garlic & corriander don’t overwhelm that of the okra at all. I honestly don’t know how but this tasha compliments the okra flavor in such a magical way.

A very easy dish, cooked mostly in the oven with a delicious authentic Egyptian taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil or 1 tbsp ghee سمنة او زيت
• 1 medium onion shredded
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 x 400 gm pack frozen okra بامية
• 1 green pepper roughly chopped
• 1 1/4 cup tomato puree بيوريه طماطم
• 1 heaped tbsp tomato paste صلصة
• 2 1/2 cups stock مرقة
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt & pepper

For the Tasha Topping:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp fresh corriander minced كسبرة
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 red chili pepper finely diced فلفل حار

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 200 C & place the empty tajin inside to heat up.
• Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. Add the onion & garlic & cook for about 2-3 minuntes then add the okra & chopped green pepper & stir everything together for another 1-2 minutes. Make sure that nothing gets brown; if the pot gets too hot, reduce heat to medium.
• Reduce heat to medium low & stir in the tomato puree & paste. Let the sauce bubble up for about 2 minutes; stirring frequently.
• Add the stock & bring the mixture to a boil. Turn off heat, add the lemon juice & season with salt & pepper.
• Pour the mixture in the hot tajin & bake UNCOVERED for about 45-60 minutes until the sauce thickens, the okra softens & the top becomes nicely brown.
• Once the okra is done, prepare the tasha topping. Mix all the tasha ingredients in a small pan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, let the mixture cook/bubble up for 1-2 minutes; I don’t like to brown the garlic so that it doesnt become too heavy.
• Pour the tasha on top of the baked okra & serve immediately with bread & extra lemon slices.