Shared by Nir Mesika
Shared by Nir Mesika
Egyptian Short Rib and Okra Stew With Fragrant Rice
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 3h 30min
Egyptian Short Rib and Okra Stew With Fragrant Rice
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 3h 30minFamily Journey
Alexandria, EgyptKiryat Ha'im, IsraelNew York City
Tel Aviv
Like many Israeli kids that grew up by the sea, Nir Mesika would spend his spare time surfing. But before embarking on a day at the beach, he’d sit down with his family to a big lunch that his mother made every Saturday.
The crowded table always included some form of okra like leftovers of this dish his mom Yafa cooked for Shabbat dinner. Yafa learned the beef and okra stew from her Egyptian mother-in-law, and continued on the tradition in her family. It may seem counterintuitive to eat stew when it’s warm enough to surf, but Nir says it was an excellent source of energy for a day spent in the sun.
Cooking note: When choosing okra, you want to make sure that it is crisp and not soggy. Nir recommends piercing the skin of the okra with the thumb nail to check for crispiness. Nir typically uses Thai okra for this dish, which is a little smaller.
Read more about Nir's family in "An Egyptian Stew For Your Best Beach Day."
Ingredients
For the stew:
- 2 ¼ lbs. of boneless short ribs
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ lb. vine ripe tomatoes, quartered
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small jalapeño, sliced into ⅛ “ rounds
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 lb okra, stems trimmed
- 1 bunch of fresh mint
- Salt
- Pepper
For the rice:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1.5 cups boiling water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation
Step 1
For the stew: Preheat oven to 350°.
Step 2
Cut ribs into 2 inch cubes and season all sides with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Add oil to large heavy bottom pot and heat over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes, adding garlic cloves as meat is nearly browned.
Step 4
Remove meat from pot and add tomato paste. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes in small batches, squeezing and juicing them into pan before adding.
Step 5
Add 1.5 cups of water, the juice of ½ a lemon, paprika, bay leaf, and 3-5 slices of jalapeno. Add meat back to pot, spacing evenly. Sprinkle with the sugar. Turn heat down to low and simmer uncovered on low while preparing the okra.
Step 6
Lightly fry the okra: heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over high heat, add okra, tossing until bright green and lightly blistered, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, toss with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Step 7
Add okra to pot, spacing evenly around the meat. Add 6-10 mint leaves, cover and bake in the oven for 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes. If liquid reduces too much add water.
Step 8
After 2 hours, the meat should be very tender when stuck with a knife. At this point, uncover and broil for 10-12 minutes, until dark and caramelized.
Step 9
Remove from oven. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with a handful of mint leaves, and serve warm with rice.
Keeps for 5 days stored in airtight container. Even better the next day!Step 10
For the rice:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat in a small sauce pan. Add rice and stir, toasting until the rice grains are too hot to touch. Add bay leaves, coriander, and 1.5 cups of boiling water.Step 11
Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover and let cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
Step 12
Remove rice from heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 13
Gently fluff rice with spoon, then cover and let rest until ready to serve.
