Okra (bamya) with lamb

Okra was one of the first things my mother learned to cook when she worked in Sudan after fleeing Tigray. You can leave out the lamb to make this dish vegan.

Credit: Murdoch Books / Alicia Taylor

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

I recommend making the dilik recipe in bulk as it stores well, but you can reduce the quantity if you prefer. This chilli paste, along with the powdered chilli mix called barbere, is part of many recipes in the food of Tigray.

Ingredients

Dilik

• 15 g (½ oz) ground ginger
• 15 g (½ oz) ajwain seeds
• 15 g (½ oz) black sesame seeds
• 15 g (½ oz) coriander seeds
• 15 g (½ oz) cardamom seeds
• 15 g (½ oz) korarima (Ethiopian cardamom) (see Note)
• 25 g (7⁄8 oz) garlic flakes
• 50 g (1¾ oz) onion flakes
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) chilli powder (Kashmir or medium)
• 75 g (2¾ oz) salt
• ½ cup (125 ml) sunflower oil

Bamya

• 3 onions, finely diced
• sunflower oil, for cooking
• 1 tsp crushed garlic (preferably fresh)
• 70 g (2½ oz) dilik (see Note)
• 2½ cups (600 g) diced tomato
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) diced lamb (approx. 2 cm/¾ inch chunks)
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) okra

Instructions

1. To make the dilik: Using a dry non-stick frying pan over medium heat, roast all the dry ingredients except for the chilli powder and salt, until the aromas go out. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Tip them onto a plate and leave to cool down.
2. Once cooled, use a blender to grind the spices into a smooth, fine texture. Transfer this mixture to a food processor, add the chilli powder and salt and mix the ingredients well.
3. Add 3 cups (750 ml) water and the oil and mix until it’s firm and looks like playdough. Put in a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for up to 1 year.
4. For the bamya: In a saucepan, sauté the onion in sunflower oil over medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the 70g of dilik and turn the heat down to low. Keep stirring, adding water as necessary to stop it sticking.
5. Add the tomato and cumin and cook until the tomatoes are soft. It should take approximately 15 minutes.
6. Add the meat, stir, then add enough water to submerge the meat. Increase the heat to medium and cook for approximately 20 minutes, until tender.
7. While the meat cooks, chop the okra. You want to cut off both ends of the okra and chop it to the same size as the meat.
8. Once the meat is almost cooked – about 5 minutes away – add the okra and salt to taste. Cook for around 5–7 minutes, until the okra is tender. Avoid overcooking the okra, as it has a tendency to become slimy.
9. Serve with rice or with breadsticks.

 

NOTES

• Korarima, also known as Ethiopian cardamom or black cardamom, is available from some specialty retailers. You could use green cardamom instead. 

• When using the dilik mixture, scoop it out using a dry spoon and avoid double-dipping to ensure your paste doesn’t go off.

This is an edited extract from Tekebash and Saba by Saba Alemayoh, published by Murdoch Books (RRP $45.00). Photography by Alicia Taylor.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

I recommend making the dilik recipe in bulk as it stores well, but you can reduce the quantity if you prefer. This chilli paste, along with the powdered chilli mix called barbere, is part of many recipes in the food of Tigray.