Khōresh-e Bāmieh-ye Khūzestānī [Okra & Tamarind Stew | vegan]

Okra & Tamarind Stew from Khuzestan | vegan

Origin: Regional Specialty (Jonūb)

🍳 From the Test Kitchen > This recipe is a work in progress. While the foundation is solid, the exact ingredient ratios and timing haven't passed my final quality checks just yet. I’m sharing this early draft exclusively with subscribers so you can see what I'm working on. Feel free to experiment, adjust to your own taste, and add comments at the bottom of the recipe!

Of all the stews in this book, Khōresh-e Bāmieh was the one I struggled the most to get right. In southern Khuzestan, the warm Persian Gulf climate inspires bold, tangy, chili-spiked cooking, and okra (bāmieh) takes center stage. To keep the pods tender-crisp rather than slimy, just trim the woody stem tips, leaving the conical caps intact, before pan-searing them in hot oil. Then, simmer the okra in a rich sauce of grated tomatoes, garlic, pierced dried Persian limes, and sour tamarind paste, which helps keep the pods bright and whole.

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes