Moroccan · Tagines
Lamb Tagine with Okra (Tagine Bel Meloukhia)
In Oujda, near the Algerian border, okra tagines are a summer staple, the pods simmered whole with lamb in a tomato-rich sauce until they turn silky rather than slimy. Cooked whole and handled gently, okra loses its reputation here and instead thickens the sauce into something almost velvety.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 80 min
- Total
- 100 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 700 g lamb shoulder, cut into chunks
- 500 g small whole okra, tops trimmed but not cut open
- 3 tomatoes, grated, and 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 onion, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground ginger, pinch cayenne
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Braise the lamb
Warm the oil in a pot, brown the lamb lightly, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, paprika, cayenne and tomato paste. Cover with water and simmer 50–60 minutes until the lamb is nearly tender.
- 2
Prep the okra
Trim just the woody stem tips from the okra, leaving the pods whole — cutting into the pods releases the sliminess this method avoids.
- 3
Add the okra
Stir the grated tomato into the sauce, then lay the whole okra pods on top without stirring them in roughly.
- 4
Simmer gently
Cover and cook a further 20–25 minutes until the okra is tender but still holds its shape, spooning sauce over occasionally instead of stirring hard.
- 5
Finish
Add the lemon juice, adjust seasoning, and let the sauce settle for a few minutes.
- 6
Serve
Serve hot with bread, keeping the okra pods whole on the plate.
Chef's tips
- Keep the okra whole and untrimmed at the stem end — this is the trick that keeps the dish from turning gluey.
- Choose the smallest, firmest okra pods you can find; large, tough ones turn fibrous.
- A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar at the end is traditional and helps counter any residual sliminess.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop okra from getting slimy?
Keep the pods whole rather than slicing them, handle them gently once in the pot, and add a little acid such as lemon juice or tomato, which helps firm the texture.
Can I use frozen okra?
Fresh whole okra gives the best texture. If using frozen, thaw and pat it very dry first, and add it a little later since it cooks faster.