Written by Chris Wednesday, 08 July 2009 00:00

Ever wondered what one makes with okra? Here's an idea from the mediterranean. This is a Greek recipe for chicken with okra that can form a main course and be served with boiled vegetables or pasta.Its cooked in a yachni style meaning that it is cooked with a Greek style tomato sauce.

Okra is known as ladies fingers in the UK. In Greek its name derives from the Arabic bamyah. It was the Arabs who introduced the plant to the mediterranean from its original native land of Ethiopia.

Serves: 4-6
Cooking time: 1.30 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 Kg chicken pieces (thighs are especially good)
• 600g okra
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbs tomato puree
• 100ml white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• cube of butter and 2 tbs olive oil
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Okra
To prepare the okra rinse thoroughly to remove the fuzz. The okra is not chopped but used whole. Simply remove the stem and trim around the brown ring at the base. Okra will produce a slimy mucilage when cooked. To reduce this soak in vinegar for 30 minutes prior to cooking and then rinse thoroughly.

Kotopoulo me Bamyes
In a deep hard-bottomed pan fry the okra with a little olive for about 10 minutes until they start to turn brown. Remove from the pan and place to one side. Add butter to the pan and cook chicken pieces until brown. Remove and place on kitchen paper.

Now fry the onions (add a little more olive oil if necessary) for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add garlic and mix well. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes start to dissolve. Add wine and other ingredients for the sauce and simmer for 20 minutes until you have a smoothish sauce.

Add the chicken pieces, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the okra, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve with boiled potatoes and parsley garnish.