Khoresh Bamieh : Okra stew

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Khoresht bamieh: meaning and origin

Khoresh Bamieh is a traditional Iranian dish that can be found throughout the Middle East.

It consists of meat (usually lamb) simmered with tomato, spices and okra.

In Farsi the word “khoresh” means stew and “bamieh” means okra, hence the name of this delicious Persian recipe.

We find this succulent lamb and okra stew especially in southern Iran.

In the history of Iranian medicine, doctors have successfully cured certain diseases using okra. Okra is not very pleasant to eat raw, which is why the Persians have concocted this excellent traditional stew to combine the goodness of okra with a comforting dish.

Okra: key ingredient of Khoresh Bamieh

Okra is a very low-calorie vegetable that is rich in vitamin K and dietary fiber.

This is the star ingredient in Khoresh Bamieh which has a fairly mild flavor somewhat similar to eggplant, widely used in Iranian dishes such as Khoresht Bademjoon.

Depending on the season, you can buy fresh or frozen okra. If you buy frozen okra, you should not thaw it before cooking it. Add them still frozen in boiling water for about 10min, stirring gently so that the okra pods remain intact.

When buying fresh okra, choose small pods because they are softer and less fibrous. They will make your Khoresh Bamieh even tastier.

They must be cleaned well and the ends of the stems cut at an angle so as not to open the pods.

Adding tomatoes will add acidity and allow the okra to retain their original texture without becoming viscous.

Accompaniment of Khoresht Bamieh

This Iranian dish is served as a main course. It is traditionally served with rice and a Shirazi salad for example. Regarding the drink, it is doogh (Persian yogurt drink) that goes best with this stew.

Don’t hesitate to get started in preparing this delicious Iranian meal that is packed with great nutritional value. The preparation of Khoresh Bamieh takes about 30 minutes and its cooking time of 2h30.