This satisfying dish of okra and tomatoes with rice makes a tasty side dish or meat-free main dish. It's an excellent dish to serve with fish, poultry, or meat. For a hearty Creole-style main dish, add about 1 pound of cooked shrimp or 12 to 16 ounces of spicy sliced smoked sausage to the okra and tomato mixture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste, divided)
- 1/2 pound okra (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups sliced)
- 1/2 onion (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped)
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes (with juice)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Steps to Make It
-
Gather the ingredients.
-
Combine the rice and 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring the rice to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and let stand with the cover on for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.
-
Meanwhile, wash the okra and dry it thoroughly. Peel and chop the onion. Remove the stem and seeds from the green pepper and cut it into 1/4-inch dice.
-
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and the okra; cook for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and set aside.
-
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, stirring frequently.
-
Dice the whole tomatoes and add them—and their juices—to the onion and bell pepper mixture; reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
-
Add the okra and sugar to the tomato mixture. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
-
In a small bowl, combine the 2 teaspoons of flour with about 1 tablespoon of cold water. Whisk or stir to form a smooth paste.
-
Add the flour mixture to the okra and tomatoes and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
-
For serving, spoon the okra over the rice.
Tips
- When shopping for okra, choose brightly colored pods free of damage and blemishes. Look for pods around 4 inches or less in length. Large pods might be fibrous and tough.
Recipe Variations
- The recipe calls for canned tomatoes, but diced fresh tomatoes are an excellent alternative if you have them. Or use an equal amount of tomato purée in the dish.
- If you like a bit of heat, add a dash of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. Or add a teaspoon of Cajun or Creole seasoning to the dish and cut back on the salt (unless the seasoning blend is unsalted).
Recipe Tags: