Fresh Okra in Olive Oil Recipe (Okra Soup)

Okra Soup Recipe

         Turkish Style Okra Soup (Bamya Çorbası)

         Many culinary experts agree that Anatolian Cuisine is very unique and perfect. We wholy agree this idea too. Actually, a wonderful and amazing mixture of cooking styles co-occur with in Anatolian Cuisine. Due to its geographical location is stuated between Europa, Asia and Middle East (further more, it is located on silkroad throughout the history). Anatolian Cuisine has realy very multiculturel properties. Also, the influence of this very unique location can be seen in their history, culture, lifestyle and food. So that, Anatolian food is very unique and exotic. Ofcourse, It is not all about Shish Kabab! So many kind of foods and beverages belong to Anatolian Cuisine. In fact the Anatolian Cuisine is the best combination of Eastern European, Central Asian and Middle Eastern food.

Healty Okra/gumbo Vegetable

         Okra is very Delicious & Healty Vegetable

       Both in Mediterranean/Anatolian Cuisines, there are group of vegetable-dishes known as olive oil dishes (Zeytinyağlı yemekler) are very famous and unique. Maybe, one of them is okra soup (Bamia Soup, Gumbo Soup). Through out the Mediterranean and Anatolian regions, in July and August, okra vegetable's prime time. Also, okra vegetable is super healty and nutritious vegetable for the person. Here these are couple of things about the okra:

- Okra vegetable contains no cholesterol or saturation fats,
- Okra vegetable is full packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin K,

- The gluey (slimy) inside the okra vegetable pods balanced your blood sugar and aids digestion,

You like our Purslane-salad-with-yogurt- , Purslane-with-rice , Spinach-with-rice , Fava-beans-with-olive-oil  ,  Turkish-dolma-rice-stuffed-peppers  recipes.

           

Bamia Soup

          How to Make Okra Soup (Bamya Çorbası)?

         In this post we are going to share our okra soup (Bamia Soup - Bamya Çorbası). In Anatolian region, okra soup is very famous and very popular, especially in Aksaray city and Konya City.   You very often encounter this soup. Some people love it very much. On the other hand, some people dont enjoy it. Problem is: "After the cooking process of okra dish (soup). It turns gluey (slime) and many people don't enjoy this". Actually, cooking a okra soup is really delicious and very hearty dinner idea. So, if you want to get rid of these problems, we should obey some rules (when buy it, when cook it), before the cooking process.

          Here it is some of the tips about the okra:

        - When you pick up to fresh okra in the vegetable markets. You should pay attention that okra pods must be firm not soft,

        - When you pick up to fresh okra in the vegetable markets. You should pay attention that okras size must be between 5-7 cm, if they are longer than this size the okra will be tough to eat abit tasteless, 

       - As you know people dont want to encounter gluey (slime) problem in okra dish. How do We get rid of this problem: Firstly, you should remove the stalks of your okras and when your okras are boiled in the pan. Put 3-4 slices of Lemon (or lemon juice) in water. So that, you get rid of the gluey (slime) problem in okra dish.     

         

Okra Soup Cooking Process

  

         Here it is our okra soup recipe;

         Ingredients:

         Serve: 4 servings, Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes, Cooking Time: 45-50 minutes,  Cuisine: Mediterranesn/Anatolian Cuisine,

        - 350-400 gr Fresh Okra, stalks removed,
        - 1/2 Lemon,  sliced (4-5 slices),
        - 150-200 gr Lamb mince (or beef mince or 150-200 gr lamb, cut in small cubes),
        - 1 Tablespoon Butter, 
        - 2 Normal size onion, finely chopped,
        - 1 or 2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped,
        - 1 Tablespoon Tomato paste, (or 1 Normal size Tomatoes peeled and grated)
        - 5 Glasses hot water,
        - 2 Tablespoon Lemon juice,
        - A little salt to taste (1 or 2 pinches),

         Preparation:

        First of all, cut the head parts of your fresh okras with a knife. After removing the stalks, wash your fresh okra in lots of water and then drain them. Then, put your okras, water and 3-4 slices lemon (or lemon juice) into pan and boil your okras with lemon juice or slices lemon for about 10-15 minutes (to blanch of okras and also this process help you to get a okra soup without slime). After these processes, finely chop the onion and garlic. Then, peel the tomatoes and grate (or you can use tomato paste instead of tomatoes). Put olive oil into deep saucepan. Add lamb mince (or beef mince), chopped onion and garlic onto olive oil and stir couple of minutes. Then, add one tablespoon butter and put grated tomatoes or tomato paste into the saucepan. Stir 1 or 2 minutes. Then, add your fresh okras, lemon juice and salt. Mix them 2-3 minutes and cover the lid. Cook over low heat until 6-7 minutes. Then, open the lid. Add hot water (5 glasses hot water) onto saucepan. Cover the lid again. Stir gently. Cook over 25-30 minutes. When the fresh okra in olive oil soup cooked, remove from the heat. Leave it to cool and serve warm.

         You like our Red-lentil-soup , First-istant-soup-tarhana recipes.

        Please let us know how this "Fresh Okra in Olive oil Soup" dish turns out for you in the comments. We are always so eager to hear from you.

         ENJOY
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