Moroccan beef ragout with okra

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 700 g beef, from the leg
• 2 onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp oil
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp spice mix (Ras el Hanout)
• 1 tsp harissa
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• ½ tsp cumin, ground
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 carnations
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• ½ lemon(s) (salted lemon), alternatively 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 350 ml beef broth or vegetable broth
• 400 g okra, fresh, alternatively from the can / jar (EW 345 g weight)
• ½ bunch coriander or flat parsley
• 1 lemon(s), quartered, to serve with the meal

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

for lovers of oriental cuisine

Cut the meat into approximately 3 cm cubes. Peel the onions and garlic, and dice finely. Blanch the tomatoes, rinse, skin, and remove the seeds. Dice the flesh. Brown the meat in batches in the oil and set aside. Fry the diced onions and garlic in the drippings until golden brown, add the browned meat, stir in the tomato paste and spices, and sauté. Be careful not to burn! Add the diced tomatoes and salted lemon juice, and pour in the broth. Cover and simmer over low heat for about two hours. Meanwhile, rinse the fresh okra, drain, and trim the stems. Blanch in boiling salted water for two minutes, place in a colander, and rinse in cold water. Drain. Place the canned okra in a colander, rinse briefly, and drain. The remaining slime will bind during cooking. Fifteen minutes before the meat is finished cooking, add the fresh, blanched okra. Heat the canned spices briefly in the meat dish. Rinse the cilantro or parsley briefly, shake dry, and chop finely. Season to taste. If no salted lemon was used, add lemon juice. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley and serve with lemon quarters. Serve with Persian rice, with or without potatoes, or with flatbread. Note: If you’re new to oriental dishes, you should gradually increase the spice levels. Naturally, the aroma develops better when sautéed, but you can also intensify the flavor by adding more seasoning.