Start with the meat when its cut needs long cooking, adding okra at the appropriate stage. Adding everything initially may over-soften the okra while meat stays tough. This method begins in a pot and finishes in an oven-safe casserole.
Ingredients
For four portions, use 700–800 g meat cubes, 500 g okra, one onion, four garlic cloves, 400 g crushed tomatoes and one tablespoon tomato paste. Add two tablespoons oil, ground coriander, pepper and salt, plus enough hot stock for moist cooking without flooding.
Wash and dry fresh okra and trim the caps without cutting deeply into the pods. Follow packaging for frozen okra; not every variety needs thawing. Choose similarly sized pods for even cooking.
Prepare the meat first
Brown meat in batches with a little oil, add onion and soften. Add hot water or stock and simmer until nearly tender. This may exceed an hour depending on the cut; test rather than judging by cube size alone.
Briefly cook garlic and coriander in another pan, add tomatoes and paste, and reduce. Combine sauce, meat and okra in an oven-safe casserole, adding stock between the ingredients without deeply covering them.
Oven cooking and final texture
Finish at 180–190°C until okra softens and meat is fully cooked, generally 25–40 minutes after preparation. Cover if liquid evaporates quickly, then uncover near the end to concentrate the top. Move gently and avoid repeated stirring that breaks pods.
Check salt after stock reduces. Serve with white rice or bread. If prepared ahead, cool in suitable containers rather than leaving the large casserole on the table, then reheat to 74°C.
Is lemon essential?
Serve it alongside or add a little to taste. Acidity cannot conceal poor-quality okra or meat. Taste the tomato sauce before adding much lemon, as it may already be acidic.
Related products from ALRAQI MEATS
Boneless Beef Cubes - 1 kg, or Local Naimi Lamb Mixed Cuts - 1 kg. Check the product page for weight, ingredients and cutting options before ordering. Choose a cut suited to the cooking method; a boneless or mixed-meat label alone does not guarantee suitability for quick cooking.
Further guidance
Safe minimum cooking temperatures, Refrigerated food storage.