Traditional Libyan Lamb Stew with Okra

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Heat the oil in a wide pot and brown the lamb on all sides. Remove to a plate.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveWide, shallow pot

   💡Brown the meat in batches, without crowding: in a crowded pot it stews in its own juices instead of searing.

   💡What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
2. 2
   Add the onion to the oil left in the wide pot and fry for 10 minutes, stirring, until the onion turns golden.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStoveWide, shallow pot

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 3
   Add the garlic and fry 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.
4. 4
   Add the hot paprika, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon and fry 30 seconds, until fragrant.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
5. 5
   Add the tomato paste and fry 2 minutes, stirring.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
6. 6
   Add the tomatoes and water and bring to a boil.

   Stove
7. 7
   Return the lamb to the pot and season with salt and black pepper.
8. 8
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 60 minutes, until the lamb soft.

   ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
9. 9
   Add the okra and lemon juice and cook another 20 minutes, until the okra is tender.

   Stove
10. 10
    Serve with the cilantro and rice.