A Yemeniyah's Recipes

Served on a bed of white rice, with salad and Zhug on the side and you have yourself quite a meal. Usually eaten for lunch, which is the main meal of the day in Yemen. Comfortably served 4:

1) 1/2 pound of lamb/goat cut into medium sized pieces. Bone in. Boil in water until tender. You will need the broth, so do not discard.

2) 1 medium onion finely chopped

3) 4 medium tomatoes roasted in the oven, peeled and pureed in a blender

4) 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

5) 1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper

6) salt to taste

7) 2 cups of fresh okra, ends cut off and washed.

8 ) 3 tbslp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

9) 2 tbslp of tomato paste.

In a pot , under medium head, saute the onions. Add the garlic and let saute well. Then add the okra and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the meat and let  brown a little. Then add the pureed tomatoes and season with the pepper and salt. Then add some of the lamb broth, and the tomato paste and cover and cook until the okra is cooked through. At first you will see the okra climbing to the surface, but as it cooks they will sink to the bottom. Also, the oil will rise to the surface. It’s usually done in about 20 minutes.  Turn off and serve hot. Goes well with bread as well as on a bed of white rice.