Bamia is a very popular Arabic okra and tomato stew. It's made both with and without meat, I am sharing the recipe for Bamia without meat. This okra stew is very popular in a lot of Arabic countries like Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria. It's a vegan and gluten-free recipe.
I was a non-vegetarian when I moved to Dubai a few years back. When I decided to follow a vegetarian diet in this city, I assumed that I would never be able to enjoy the local food which is meat-heavy.
However, that decision gave me an opportunity to explore a lot of delicious vegetarian and vegan Arabic dishes which I didn't even know existed in this cuisine.
Today I am sharing one such very popular Lebanese dish called bamia. It's a simple vegan and gluten-free dish that's very comforting.
Jump to:
- What is Bamia?
- Ingredients needed
- Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- How to prepare okra stew (step by step instructions)?
- How to serve bamia?
- Storing, freezing, and reheating tips
- Recipe tips and tricks
- Frequently asked questions
- More easy vegan and vegetarian Arabic recipes
- More okra recipes
- Recipe
What is Bamia?
Bamia is the Arabic word for okra and it's also the name of an Arabic stew made with okra and tomatoes.
It's a very popular dish in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
You will find both non-vegetarian and vegetarian versions of this dish. Being a vegetarian, I am sharing the meat-free bamia recipe.
Ingredients needed
To make vegetarian Bamia, you will need the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- Okra: Use small baby okra to make this Middle Eastern stew. Frozen or fresh okra both can be used. Always pick fresh, tender, and small okra.
- Onion: I have used red onion, you can use brown or white too.
- Tomatoes: Use a juicy red variety of fresh tomatoes and chop them very finely to use in this dish. You can use canned tomatoes also.
- Tomato paste: It gives a very rich taste and color to the okra stew.
- Pomegranate molasses: You can easily find this ingredient in Middle Eastern grocery stores. If you can't find it use lemon juice. However, once you make bamia with pomegranate molasses, you won't like the taste of the one made without it.
- Seasonings: I have used basic spices that are used in Middle Eastern recipes like cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and ground black pepper. You can easily find them all in a Middle Eastern or Indian grocery store. You can also add Lebanese 7 spice mix to flavor this delicious stew.
How to prepare okra stew (step by step instructions)?
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large pot with heavy bottom. Add onion and minced garlic. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
Step 2: Add frozen baby okra and cook for 6-7 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring in between. Don't stir okra too much otherwise they will turn slimy.
Step 3: Add very finely chopped tomatoes.
Step 4: Mix everything and cook for 8-10 minutes on a medium flame.
Step 5: Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, ground black pepper, salt, tomato paste, and pomegranate molasses.
Step 6: Mix everything and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 7: Add water mix and cover the pot. Cook for around 20 minutes.
Step 8: Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Your delicious Lebanese okra stew- bamia is ready to be enjoyed.
How to serve bamia?
The best way to enjoy Bamia is with a very popular Lebanese rice dish called vermicelli with rice. Or, just serve it with some plain basmati rice, regular white rice, or brown rice.
If you want you can also serve it with an Arabic flatbread like pita bread.
You can also serve a refreshing Arabic salad like fattoush or tabouleh on the side. Another side dish that non-vegans can pair with it is a refreshing yogurt and mint dip.
Storing, freezing, and reheating tips
To store, allow bamia to reach room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
It also freezes well. To freeze, store in freezer safe airtight container with a lid and freeze. It will be fine for 3 months.
To reheat, if the bamia is frozen thaw it first. You can then reheat it on the stovetop as well as in the microwave. Add some hot water to adjust the consistency and then reheat.
Recipe tips and tricks
- If you don't have frozen okra, you can use fresh too. However, make sure that you use small okras. Fully grown large okras sometimes have worms inside them and they may be woody also so, it's better to avoid using them. Else, you can also chop tender large okras and then use them in the recipe. However, if you are using chopped okra, it's better to sauté them in some oil before using in the recipe otherwise they turn very slimy.
- You can also use canned crushed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes to make the tomato sauce for bamia.
- Instead of pomegranate molasses, lemon juice can be used too. But pomegranate molasses makes this dish tastier.
- Generally, lamb is also added to bamia but, it's made without meat too. If you wish you can also add cooked chickpeas or potatoes to it.
- Don't skip the step of sautéing okra with onions for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes. It gives a better texture and taste to okra.
- Instead of water, you can also use vegetable stock to make this stew.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make bamia with fresh okra too. Pick fresh, tender, and small okra to make bamia.
I prefer washing frozen vegetables before using them in a recipe. So, I wash them, pat dry with a clean kitchen towel and then use them. During the process okra automatically gets thawed.
However, you don't need to follow this step and directly use okra without thawing.
Some people precook okra before adding them to the stew, some don't. It depends upon the texture of okra you want to get.
I feel precooked (sauteed) okra has a better and less slimy texture and I prefer it that way.
However, to get that texture you don't need to saute okra separately in a different pan before adding to the stew. You can get the same result by sauteeing okra with onion before adding the tomatoes.
If you don't mind the slimy texture of okra, you can add it with tomatoes.
And, if you don't want the okra to be slimy at all, fry it separately before adding to the stew,
Yes, you can use canned tomatoes too.
More easy vegan and vegetarian Arabic recipes
If you liked this recipe and want to do more Middle Eastern cooking in your kitchen then don't miss to check out the following links:
More okra recipes
Want to try more easy ways to cook okra? Don't miss trying the following easy okra recipes:
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Recipe
Bamia (Lebanese okra stew)
Equipment
- 1 cooking pot with lid
- Knife
- Chopper or food processor
Ingredients
- 400 grams frozen okra
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 3 large tomatoes very finely chopped or grated tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup water or as required to get the desired consistency.
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pot. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add okra and sauté for 6-7 minutes on a medium flame.
- Add very finely chopped tomatoes . Mix and cook for around 8-10 minutes on a medium flame.
- Add all the spices, salt, tomato paste, and pomegranate molasses. Mix and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Add water, mix, and cover the pot. Cook covered for around 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Video
Notes
- If you don't have frozen okra, you can use fresh too. However, make sure that you use small okras. Fully grown large okras sometimes have worms inside them and they may be woody also so, it's better to avoid using them. Else, you can also chop tender large okras and then use them in the recipe. However, if you are using chopped okra, it's better to sauté them in some oil before using in the recipe otherwise they turn very slimy.
- You can also use canned crushed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes to make the tomato sauce for bamia.
- Instead of pomegranate molasses, lemon juice can be used too. But pomegranate molasses makes this dish tastier.
- Generally, lamb is also added to bamia but, it's made without meat too. If you wish you can also add cooked chickpeas or potatoes to it.
- Don't skip the step of sautéing okra with onions for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes. It gives a better texture and taste to okra.
- More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
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