Description
Take two classic southern ingredients – okra & pecans – add some tomatoes, Thai basil and tamari and you’ve got yourself a okra & cherry tomato stir fry!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/4 cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. mirin
- dash red pepper flakes
- dash ground black pepper
- ~15 green or purple okra pods, sliced in half lengthwise
- vegetable broth for sautéing
- 1 small red onion, sliced into thin half moons
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
- Generous handful Thai basil, chopped (some leaves left whole for garnish, if desired)
- Steamed brown rice
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s good and hot, add a light spritz of cooking spray to the entire surface of the pan. Lower the heat a little and add the okra – putting the cut sides down. You want to sear those first and fast.
- Let the slices brown (but take care not to burn). This should take 4-5 minutes. Carefully flip the slices and lightly brown the other side. This will happen faster on this side so watch closely.
- Remove the okra from the pan and set aside. Carefully wipe out any remaining oil and put the pan back on the heat. Add a generous splash of vegetable broth or water and add the onions. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for a few minutes – you want them heated through and softened, but not bursting. Now, turn off the heat and stir in the tamara-vinegar mixture and the Thai basil. Stir to coat the veggies.
- Divide up some brown rice between 2 deep bowls. Divide the okra mixture between the bowls and top with the toasted pecans and additional Thai basil, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The key to avoiding the slime is to quickly sear the okra in a very hot pan. I used a cast iron pan that was thoroughly pre-heated.
- Double this, of course, if you’d like to serve 4.
- Sliced, sautéed mushrooms are mighty tasty in addition to the other ingredients. Add them to the pan after the onions are slightly softened. Cook for about 5 minutes, then continue with the recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 2027
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 37
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 0