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1
Wash the okra and trim the stem ends, cutting round the cap to form a little cone.
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2
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions until soft and golden.
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3
Start on low heat with the lid on, then uncover and turn up the heat to medium.
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4
Add the garlic and coriander and put in the meat.
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5
Turn the pieces until they change color all over.
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6
Add the tomatoes, cover with water, and stir in the tomato paste.
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7
Season with salt and pepper, stir well, and simmer over low heat for 11 1/4 hours.
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8
Stir in the okra, adding water if necessary, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the meat and okra are tender and the sauce is reduced.
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9
Add lemon juice and serve hot with rice.
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10
In the Said, in Upper Egypt, they boil the meat (about half the quantity) first in water, then lift the pieces out and cook the okra in the stock along with 2 cups tomato juice and 2 small chopped chili peppers.
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11
When the okra is very soft, they mash it with a fork (you can use a food processor).
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12
They put the meat back in the pan with the mashed okra and add a sauce called takleya made by frying 5 crushed garlic cloves with 1 teaspoon ground coriander in 2 tablespoons oil until the garlic is golden.
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13
The dish is quite soupy.
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14
For an Iraqi version, add 2 dried limes (see page 44) from the start.
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15
Crack them open with a hammer before you put them in, or pierce them with a skewer when they have softened in the stew.
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16
Omit the fresh lemon juice.
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17
The dried limes give a distinctive and delicious flavor.
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18
A Syrian version adds 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup (molasses or concentrate) in mid-cooking.
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19
Omit the lemon juice.
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20
For a Turkish version, add 2 tablespoons wine vinegar.
