Spiced Bindi

So...I was playing at the Asian Market the other day. Poking...prodding...smelling...mentally saying all the words in my head - undoubtedly very wrong! - and accosting the elderly women shopping with questions galore. All in all, a fun time was had by all! You wouldn't believe the plethora of new and exciting foods to try! More greens than you can shake a stick at and about six different types of eggplant alone! Total food porn! I have pictures too - but that will be another post!

******************One of the things I was attracted to this time was the okra. Had never really seen it fresh before. Bought some frozen once, to use in gumbo, I believe...and was not terribly impressed. Soggy and slimy are really the only things I remember. But fresh okra is very cute. Little and bullet shaped (if you have really pointy bullets!) and covered with little peach fuzz (okra fuzz, actually) - far enough removed from that sodden lump of veggie in a bag that I'd had before. So into my cart it went.


******************But what to do with it? Didn't want to immediately go to that old okra standby...the afore-mentioned gumbo. What's the point in experimenting if you play it safe? Half-ass! Not in my kitchen!~ So I figured I'd have to wait a couple days until I had time to find a recipe to use as a jumping off point. But then, lo and behold, Gavan Murphy, The Healthy (and Sexy!) Irishman (check out his blog at http://thehealthyirishman.com/), comes to my aid with a recipe for Spiced Bindi (Indian for okra)delivered into my inbox that very same day! Serendipity or Big Brother? hmmmmmm....we'll never know. But since I'm not one to look a gift Irishman in the mouth (especially a cute one!) - and because the recipe includes HOARDS of marvelous spices - I printed it out immediately! And since I had absolutely everything to make the recipe (oh the joys of a stocked kitchen!), it's been made and eaten tonight and I'm sharing with you now. And share I must, because it was TASTY! And ever-so-NOT-slimy! My boys tried it and liked it also. So that's three votes of approval! I had it with some quick napa cabbage slaw I threw together and a beautiful hunk of mahi mahi. My tummy is happy!

******************So here's the recipe. If you try it, let me know how you like it! And if you have a favorite okra recipe, share please!

Spiced Bindi

Serves 2.

2 cups fresh Okra - trimmed and sliced
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup low-sodium veg or chicken broth
S&P

Preheat large saute pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil and saute onions for 30 seconds, stirring...do NOT brown. Add garlic and ginger adn saute for another 30 seconds, then add cumin seeds for an additional 30 seconds. Add in okra and broth and saute for a minute, stirring. Begin adding in the spices: turmeric, coriander and garam masala. Stir to combine all ingredients together. Heat 1 minute. Serve.

******************Jen's Notes: Let's see...I had coriander seeds also...so I threw about 1/2 tsp in when I threw the cumin seeds in - and still used the ground coriander at the end. Didn't use stock, since I had none made. Subbed water instead and it worked just fine. I love the smell of fresh ginger all the time! But the smell that arose from the pan when I added the seeds to the onions, garlic, and ginger was just about 2 steps shy of an orgasm! Delectable, people! Trust me on this one! They should make a room deodorizer fragrance that smells just like it! I'd like it! So would Earz - he's getting tired of eating the 'Fresh Linen' ones!