Meatballs with Okra

Name: Meatballs with Okra
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle East
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 pound fresh okra, tops trimmed (see note above); 1 green or red bell pepper; 6 tablespoons tomato paste; 1½ cups water; 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 3 tablespoons chopped parsley; Zest of 1 large lemon; Juice of 1 lemon; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; Water, as needed; 1 large onion, grated; 1 pound ground beef; 1 egg; 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs; 3 tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice; 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Total Time: 1 hour

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

Recipe Journey

Bilozerka, Ukraine and Maryina Gorka, BelarusTel AvivMoshav Herut, Israel

JerusalemTel Aviv

Anat Rivlin’s parents bought an apartment in Jerusalem, it was in a four unit building. And Anat remembers running up the stairs when her Iraqi-Jewish neighbor Simcha, who was the honorary grandmother of the building, made okra.

Her mother Nechama, who was the first lady of Israel, adopted this recipe, writing it down on a card like she did with over 1000 other recipes she collected. On the back, she noted that zucchini, green beans, peas, or leeks can be substituted for okra. If you use leeks, slice them into 1-inch pieces and add 10 extra minutes to the vegetable cooking time in step 2.

Look for smaller, younger okra pods, which tend to be less slimy when cooked. When trimming the tops, cut only the stalk of the okra and avoid cutting into the flesh.

Israel’s late first lady Nechama Rivlin collected over 1000 recipes. Explore more of them here.

Ingredients

4 servings

5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound fresh okra, tops trimmed (see note above)
1 green or red bell pepper
6 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ cups water
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Water, as needed

For the meatballs:

1 large onion, grated
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Main CoursesMeat EasyShabbatMiddle EastBeef

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden.

Step 2

Add the okra and peppers and sauté for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the tomato paste, salt, sugar, and 1½ cups water. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients until well combined. With oiled hands, form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs.

Step 4

Uncover the pot and add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, and enough water to cover the contents by 1 inch. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Step 5

Gently lower the meatballs into the okra and tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Serve warm over steamed white rice.

This recipe first appeared on the website of Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel. Find more Asif recipes here.

The Home of Jewish Food

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

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