Kids Make Curried Okra Stew
September 18th, 2010 · 2 Comments · Posted in kids
Who knew? Kids love okra stew
I asked the kids in our food appreciation classes if they could name some vegetables that are “in season” this time of year. One five-year-old piped right up: “Peppers!” he declared.
“That’s absolutely right,” I replied. “But how did you know that?” Kids, after all, aren’t supposed to know their vegetables.
“Because,” he answered confidently, “We have some growing in our garden.”
Now that’s what I call progress.
Not only are peppers still coming ripe in mid-September, but also eggplant and okra. And we have plenty of basil waiting to be harvested.
Put them all together and you have this delicious stew: curried okra and eggplant with basil in coconut milk. Regular readers will recognize it as it’s one of my favorite creatiions and I’ve gone on about it already here and here.
We add extra flavoring to the stew by first browning the eggplant in coconut oil. This is a saturated fat that’s actually quite healthy. It’s loaded with lauric acid that boosts the immune system. Once considered a fringe ingredient available only in rare health food stores or over the internet, coconut oil is starting to appear in grocery stores. I stumbled across some the other day in our local Harris Teeter. But if you can’t find any, substitute olive oil.
I supplied the okra for this dish in our classes because I have so much growing in my own garden. To tell the truth, I was shocked to see the kids wolf it down and clamor for seconds. Many adults don’t like okra because they think it’s too slimy. But you won’t see any slime in this stew. If you are shopping for okra in the store or farmers market, be sure to choose okra that are still fresh and green and not stringy.
To make the stew, peel a small eggplant and cut it into ½-inch dice. Brown the eggplant in a heavy pot over moderately high heat with about ¼ cup of coconut oil (or olive oil). Eggplant absorbs lots of oil, so don’t be surprised if you need to add more. Stir occasionally until the eggplant is lightly browned, then add 1 onion, cut into medium dice, season aggressively with salt, cover the pot and cook until the onion are soft.
Next, add to the pot 1 pound (or somewhat less) or fresh okra pods, stem ends removed and cut on and angle into pieces about ½ inch thick. Stir in 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes), 1 14-ounce can coconut milk, 1 tablespoon curry powder and a big fistful basil leaves. (The basil leaves reduce to almost nothing when the dish is cooked, so don’t be afraid to use a lot).
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the okra are completely tender, about 40 minutes. Serve with your favorite whole-grain rice.
For an added depth of flavor, try adding finely chopped garlic and jalapeno pepper to this stew. Or, you might even try replacing the curried powder with a prepared Thai green chili paste for a little extra fire.
Sounds good, Ed, but heavy on the calories from both coconut oil and coconut milk! How many servings does the recipe yield?
No “buts” about it, Sheila–you can’t survive without calories, and I can’t think of a better way to get them than this stew. I haven’t measured yields, but we easily get eight to 10 adult-sized side dishes from this recipe.