5 bags of frozen whole baby Okra (12oz. per bag)
1.5 lbs. cubed beef (add 7 bay leaves), add 9 cups of water
3 Tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil
2 large red onions
2 cayenne peppers (make a few small cuts into the body of cayenne peppers)
3 tsp. Chicken curry Masala (you can use other curry Masala but that is what gave me the best flavor)
2 cups of Tomato Marinara sauce
Sea Salt to taste
1 bulb of garlic freshly crushed
Juice of 2 large lemons (juice of 3 lemons if small)
Quinoa:
2 cups organic Quinoa
2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
Sea Salt
0.5 cup of Vermicelli or 0.25 cup of Orzo pasta
Cook beef in pressure cooker for 8 minutes. I find that cooking meat in pressure cooker makes it come out tender and juicy. If you do not own a pressure cooker, then you can just cook the beef in 9 cups of water, 7 bay leaves in a regular pot. Rinse baby okra in cold water twice and drain. Cut the ends of Okra, and then cut the Okra in half. Chop the onions, sauté in 3 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil. After a few minutes, add the whole cayenne peppers to sauté with the onions. Continue this step for a few more minutes. Add 3 tsp. of curry masala and sauté a few more minutes until curry aroma releases. Add the chopped okra and sauté for a few more minutes just until it becomes a little limp.
Add the beef broth to the sautéed okra, but leave out the cooked beef in a separate bowl so as not to overcook. Start cooking on medium heat. Add juice of 2 lemons and mix well. Add 2 cups of tomato marinara sauce and stir well. Salt to taste. Once the pot reaches boiling point, reduce heat to medium/low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes checking periodically on the okra and making sure it does not overcook and become too mushy. After 15 minutes of simmering are over, please add the freshly crushed bulb of garlic; let everything simmer together for the remaining 5 minutes.
Making Quinoa:
Please rinse Quinoa in cold water multiple times to rinse out all the saponins that would contribute to giving it a bitter taste. I usually rinse it 3-4 times and then soak it in cold water for 20 minutes.
While Quinoa is soaking, boil 3 cups of water so that it is ready when you want to start cooking your Quinoa. I use the Orzo or Vermicelli with the Quinoa because it helps the Quinoa stay fluffier and prevent it from sticking together. If you choose not to use the pasta, that is fine, but please keep in mind that the Quinoa will be more sticky.
Heat the coconut oil; add 0.5 cup of Vermicelli or 0.25 cup of Orzo pasta (whatever you have on hand). Sauté the pasta just until it turns golden and then remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes, add the drained Quinoa, add 3 cups of boiled water, add 0.5 tablespoon of sea salt (or salt to taste), stir and put back on stove until it reaches boiling point. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium/low, cover and let cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, fluff with fork, reduce heat to lowest level possible, cover and let simmer for another 15 minutes. Once done, remove cover and fluff up with fork once again and let steam escape from cooked Quinoa.
Enjoy as a side dish with Okra and Beef!
