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Bamia bil lahma
Bamia bil lahma: Egyptian okra and lamb stew in tomato sauce
Bamia is on every Egyptian family table from Alexandria to Aswan, usually on a weekday with a plate of vermicelli rice. Chunks of lamb on the bone are simmered until tender, then baby okra is cooked in the rich tomato broth with garlic fried in ghee and fresh coriander, a finish called the ta'leya. The sauce is loose, sweet-sour and silky. The common mistake is cutting the okra pods open before cooking, which lets out the slime; trim only the very top of each cap. Chef's tip: fry the okra briefly in a hot pan before it goes into the stew so it holds its shape and stays bright green.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the lamb
- 1 ¾ lb lamb shoulder or neck, on the bonein 5 cm pieces
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cardamom podslightly crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 ¼ cups water
For the okra stew
- 1 ⅛ lb small okrafresh or frozen; tops trimmed, pods left whole
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ¾ cups passata
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the ta'leya
- 2 tbsp ghee or olive oil
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ⅔ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Brown 1 ¾ lb lamb shoulder or neck, on the bone on all sides in two batches, about 6 minutes per batch. Add 1 onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
15 minStep 2: Add 3 cardamom pods, 1 bay leaf and 4 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, until the lamb is nearly tender.
60 minStep 3: While the lamb cooks, heat a dry frying pan over a high heat and toss 1 ⅛ lb small okra in it for 3–4 minutes until it has a few brown spots. Set aside.
4 minStep 4: Stir 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 ¾ cups passata, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper into the pot. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 5: Add the okra and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, without stirring hard, until the okra is tender but whole and the lamb pulls easily from the bone.
18 minStep 6: For the ta'leya, warm 2 tbsp ghee or olive oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add 6 cloves garlic and 1 tsp ground coriander and fry for 1 minute, until the garlic is pale gold and smells sweet; don't let it brown.
1 minStep 7: Tip the sizzling garlic into the stew with ⅔ oz fresh coriander and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Simmer for 2 minutes, taste for salt and serve with rice. Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bamia bil lahma take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of passata?
- Chopped tomatoes, blended smooth.
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