Margat Bamia ~ Iraqi Mutton Okra Stew

I was actually planning to go slow on challenges. Not because I don’t enjoy them, in fact, I enjoy them a lot because they push you to try recipes which otherwise you wouldn’t have attempted, or would just languish into the never ending list of bookmarked recipes. In fact, time is becoming a major constraint now, or more than that, it looks like a luxury. Where I used to be at ease with cooking and clicking in the old house, the new kitchen and the new surroundings are making me jittery. Yes, it takes a lot of time to settle in and get used to but sometimes, I feel I am just pressurizing myself to get accustomed to it faster than it should be! I still, Alhamdulillah, have some drafts which will keep the blog afloat but now, it is slowing down, as I cook but can’t click or click but can’t get at least a decent picture! So on and so forth….

 

As soon as I saw Sadaf’s and Aiza’s post last month,  I couldn’t resist taking the plunge into this awesome group called Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Cooking Club. Staying in an Arab country, I would love to try as much as Arab recipes in my kitchen. For this month, our host is Maryam and the chosen country for the month is Iraq. We were given a few choices from which we had to choose and make. This is the recipe that caught my attention. In fact, the stew which combines mutton and okra is not unique to Iraq, however every country has their own version with some variations. The link given was this one and I went hunting around Google for more links. I found that most the recipes had variations, depending upon their family preferences. I made it this way, mixing and matching whatever I could find, so it is definitely not an authentic version! The end result was really delicious. The whole family loved it, my B and I carried it over for lunch to office to enjoy it again. I served it with this delicious Middle Eastern turmeric rice.

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Margat Bamia ~ Iraqi Mutton Okra Stew

Course Main
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Author Rafeeda

Ingredients

  • 750 gm mutton large pieces with bone
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves deskinned
  • 2 large tomatoes chopped
  • 1 1/2 packet 135 gm tomato paste
  • 400 gm pack frozen okra small ones
  • 1 tbsp red chilli flakes

Instructions

  • Wash the mutton well. Mix with turmeric powder, paprika powder and salt and set aside for 15 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the mutton and cook for 10 minutes till it turns whitish.
  • Add a cup of water and the garlic clove and cook on high for 5 whistles. Switch off and allow the pressure to go by itself.
  • Open the lid and switch on the flame. Add in the tomato and the paste and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
  • Now add the okra along with the chilli flakes and mix well. Close the lid and cook on high flame for two whistles. Switch off and allow the pressure to go by itself.
  • Serve warm with plain rice! Or like I did, with some Egyptian Yellow Rice.

Notes

1. You can cook on stove top taking all the time, however, I preferred to go the easy way!
2. You can increase the tomatoes and reduce the paste. I did not have much tomatoes on hand, so added more paste.
3. My stew was thick. Add more water for a watery stew.

Join the Conversation

  1. that color is so lovely..mutton and okra never heard..must be delicious..:)

    1. The combination is a killer, Rani… thanks a lot dear… 🙂

  2. this combo sounds interesting!!! Colorful Stew dear!!!

    1. Thank you so much Farin…

  3. I'm so glad you took the time to participate in the challenge! Your stew looks magnificent; a very welcome addition to the club indeed.

    1. Thank you so much for your lovely words, Maryam…

    1. Thanks a lot Beena…

  4. Seems to easy cooking than indian .No grinding ,no onion,tomato cutting..Enjoy making them rafee

    1. That is definitely a plus point, Sathya… thanks a lot dear…

  5. Thank you so much for taking part and I hope you always do from here on out, we love having you. This dish looks so yummy. I also chose this one bc I am sucker for anything with okra, we eat it back home often.

    1. Thank you so much for your lovely words, Noor…

  6. what a coincidence raffy i have posted stew too wow 🙂 but this is a perfect looking mutton stew yummy pass me

    1. Thank you so much Monu… 🙂

  7. i too love mutton with okras…

    1. Thank you so much Razina…

  8. It's great to have another member to MENA cooking club, welcome aboard. Your dish looks sooo delicious!

    1. Thank you so much for coming by Umm Hamza…

  9. Oh I love the color of the stew. Love the combo of okra and mutton. Stew looks sooo delicious

    1. Thank you so much Jyothi…

  10. Very interesting recipe……….great combination of veggie and mutton…..I bookmarked… 🙂

    1. Thank you so much Remya… hope you make and enjoy it… 🙂

  11. this is a very intersting combination,okra & mutton ..the curry looks equally delicious too!!

    1. Thank you so much Julie…

  12. Very delicious mutton stew.. The combo sounds interesting..

    1. Thank you so much Gloria…

  13. The name itself is so tempting, what more after looking at the spicy curry.

    1. Thank you so much Nava…

  14. I was following noor's blog and saw the okra stew.. thought ok will try that.. then came your email with the same dish. Wow! what a coincidence that both my fav bloggers blog about the same dish. Little did I know that MENA and the expanded version was the same event! 🙂 Both look totally different and I like the one here… looks more spicier!

    1. I had changed the recipe to our taste, that's why I mentioned it is not authentic! 🙂 Definitely close to our liking… hope you will try and enjoy it… thanks a lot Famidha…

  15. Your stew looks very delicious, we love okra at my house. Thanks for taking part in this month's challenge.

    1. Thank you so much Amira…

  16. G'day! This looks delish and congrats on competing this month's MENA challenge too!
    I mentioned your blog on my FB post I did about the Round Up! Thank you!
    Cheers! Joanne @ What's On The List

    1. Thank you so much for coming by Joanne…

  17. Welcome to Mena's Club. This dish looks very inviting I am sure you and B must have really enjoyed it.

    1. Thank you so much Sneha…

  18. I have seen this recipe n Arabic cookery shows on TV. But have not tasted it. But my mouth starts to water by seeing ur fotos. Must be a delicious curry.

    1. Thank you so much Eliza…

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