Today’s recipe is a special one, one that will become a staple in our house. To me, there are three main criteria which make a recipe great: how delicious it is, how easy it is to make and (as a type 1 diabetic) how it impacts my blood sugar after eating it. While this may not be relevant to everyone, it essentially boils down to how the food makes me feel. Well, today’s recipe is incredibly delicious, very easy to make, and also not too heavy.

One of the ways to make a simple recipe amazing is cooking techniques. There are some techniques which I think restaurants do well which I under utilize at home. Some of those techniques, while delicious, may be inconvenient for everyday cooking (maybe I shouldn’t deep fry every day). However, searing is something that I have been experimenting with more in the kitchen recently. It is easy to do, and the browning process changes the food’s flavor through the chemical reaction called the Maillard Process, essentially browning the sugars to create a sweet umami flavor.

Today’s recipe is a spiced okra & cherry tomato sauce which is served over rice. The base of the sauce is seared red bell pepper and onion. They provide a sweet, deep flavour to the sauce. We then layer cherry tomatoes, okra, and spices on top, and simmer until a delicious sauce forms. The sweet umami of the bell peppers and onion, the punchy acidity of the tomatoes, the texture from the okra and the depth of flavors that the spices bring combine to form an explosion of flavor in every bite.

One note before getting into the recipe: this recipe uses whole spices which would require a spice grinder. If you do not have a way to grind spices at home, please see the end of the recipe for the modifications required. I hope you find this recipe as delicious as I do!

Active Time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds*
• 1 star anise*
• ½ tsp whole fennel seeds*
• 2 tsp aleppo pepper
• ¼ tsp black peppercorns*
• ½ tsp celery seeds*
• 1 black cardamom pod*
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 large red bell peppers, diced
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 400g okra, stems removed & diced
• 1.5lbs cherry tomatoes, washed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 100g Greek feta cheese
• 1 tsp sumac
• Chopped pistachios, to top
• Rice, to serve

Directions:

1. Heat a heavy bottom large skillet or dutch oven on medium heat (one with a lid, as it will be used later). Once hot, add in the coriander, star anise and fennel. Toast for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and browned, stirring constantly. Make sure to not burn. Place into spice grinder or mortar and pestle along with the: aleppo pepper, black peppercorns, celery seeds, black cardamom pod and a tsp of salt. Grind until uniform spice mix* (See note for amended step 1 if you don’t have a spice grinder).
2. Ensure your kitchen is well ventilated as we will begin searing. Return the same skillet to high heat, add in the olive oil, red bell pepper, red onion and a generous pinch of salt (watch out, oil will sizzle). Sear on high heat for 5-7 minutes until browned, but not burnt. Stir occasionally but not constantly.
3. Once browned nicely, turn the heat down to medium and add in the fresh thyme, okra, cherry tomatoes, tomato paste and the spice mix. Stir to combine thoroughly and then cover. Cook covered, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. At this point, water should be escaping the tomatoes and okra, beginning to form a sauce. Simmer for another 10 minutes with the lid off, stirring occasionally.
4. At this point, most of the cherry tomatoes should have burst and all vegetables should have melted into a sauce. As the last step, add in the crumbled feta and sumac and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for salt levels. Serve over rice and topped with chopped pistachios, enjoy!

Amendment for no spice grinder:

1. Make the spice mix as follows: ½ tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp ground fennel, 2 tsp aleppo pepper, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp celery powder, 1 tsp of salt.
2. When beginning to simmer, add in the spice mix, 2 star anise and 2 black cardamom pods. Remove the star anise and cardamom pods before serving. Enjoy!