Bamya (or Bamia) is a classic Turkish Okra Stew dish made with okra, tomatoes, onion, garlic and lemon juice. This delicious, healthy, and comforting stew traditionally contains lamb, beef or chicken. The secret to this Bamya recipe is the long, slow simmering that brings the flavours gently together.
Jump to:
Bamya is also very popular throughout the Middle Eastern and the Mediterranean countries and every culture prepares this dish with some slight variations. My favourite way of cooking this delicious stew is with chicken, the same way my mom used to make it for us as a child.
What is Bamya?
Bamya is a simple&healthy Turkish vegetable stew made with bamya, which means "okra" in Turkish. This recipe is also widely popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries and is extremely easy to make.
Okra stew is typically made with onions, garlic, tomatoes or tomato paste, and meat. Although I prefer using chicken for the Bamya dish, lamb is more commonly used followed by beef.
Why is Okra Good For You?
Okra (a.k.a ladies fingers, bamya, bamia, or bamiyeh) is the edible fruit pod of a plant related to the hibiscus and is used in many dishes for its thickening properties.
It is a nutritious vegetable packed with vitamins, particularly rich in vitamins A and C (which are great for immune health) as well as vitamin K, B, calcium, folic acid, and potassium.
Also, okra is packed with dietary fibre and is said to help improve heart health by reducing harmful cholesterol levels. Therefore, consuming more okra is a cheap and easy way to keep cholesterol in check and prevent heart diseases.
It is also low in calories, 100 grams of okra contain only 30 calories.
Why This Recipe Works?
- Same as Mediterranean Green Beans (Taza Fasulye) and Sulu Kofte (Turkish Meatball Stew), this recipe contains only a few fridge ingredients.
- Bamya is very easy to prepare as well as nutritious and flavoursome.
- You can have this comforting yet light dish as a summer or winter stew.
- The leftovers will keep for up to five days when refrigerated.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Okra - You can use fresh, frozen (and thawed), or dried (then rehydrated) okra. Although I recommend using young, small okra for this dish, you can use the long ones and slice them before using them in the stew.
- Chicken - You can use any part of the chicken for this stew. Cooking time will vary depending on what part you are using. You can also use lamb or beef pieces, or omit the meat for a vegetarian/vegan version.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavoring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater.
- Tomatoes - Use the best tomatoes you can find (like plum tomatoes).
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.
- Lemon juice - I use fresh lemon juice for the best and freshest results. You can also use pomegranate molasses if you have it in hand.
- Stock - You can use Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock, Easy Chicken Stock (Bone Broth), or water.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making Okra Stew is very easy and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Put a Dutch oven or a heavy-based pan on medium heat. Sear the chicken pieces until slightly browned and then set them aside on a plate.
Add the onions to the pan and sauté them for a few minutes, until soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic, sauté for 30 seconds, and then add the tomato paste.
Mix well before adding the grated tomatoes and chilies. Gently deglaze the pan with the juices from the tomatoes.
Return the chicken pieces to the pan.
And then add the okra, lemon juice, salt, and stock. Give them a good stir and bring the pan to a boil.
Lower the heat and gently simmer the stew on low heat for 40 to 45 minutes, until the okra and the chicken pieces are tender.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for five minutes before serving.
Top Tips From the Chef
- Use a heavy–bottomed pan or a Dutch Oven as they distribute the heat more evenly.
- Okra has a very short season and is only available during the summer. However, you can freeze this healthy vegetable in an airtight container for up to 5 months.
- Traditionally, the Bamia dish consists of lamb, beef or goat, lots of tomatoes, and okra. I prefer chicken legs or wings same as my mom used to do for us as a child. You can leave the meat out for the vegetarian/vegan version.
Recipe FAQs
This delicious Okra Stew is best when served with a bowl of buttery Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav) or a piece of pillowy Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread). You can also serve it on its own with some salad such as Kisir (Turkish Bulgur Salad), Gavurdagi Salatasi (Tomato and Walnut Salad), or Turkish Shepherd Salad (Coban Salatasi).
Okra has a mild taste and the texture can vary depending on how it's cooked. When sautéed or fried, it can retain some crunch, but when it is slow-cooked like in this stew recipe, it becomes tender and melts in your mouth.
This healthy vegetable has a natural “mucilage” (similar to aloe vera), which can cause certain dishes to become “slimy.” However, in the case of stews, it can work to your benefit, as it naturally thickens the stew. Also, cooking the okra with tomatoes and lemon juice helps avoid slimness.
The leftovers will keep for up to five days when refrigerated in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to three months if you want to keep them longer.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Mediterranean recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious and healthy Turkish Okra Stew as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
Bamya - Turkish Okra Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 6-8 chicken legs
- 1 large onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 400 g tomatoes (grated)
- 1 red chilli (chopped)
- 600 g okra
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 250 ml chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
Instructions
- Put a Dutch oven or a heavy-based pan on medium heat.
- Sear the chicken pieces until slightly browned and then set them aside on a plate.
- Add the onions to the pan and sauté them for a few minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic, sauté for 30 seconds and then add the tomato paste.
- Mix well before adding the grated tomatoes and chillies. Gently deglaze the pan with the juices from the tomatoes.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pan along with the okra, lemon juice, salt and the stock.
- Give them a good stir and bring the pan to a boil.
- Lower the heat and gently simmer the stew on low heat for 40 to 45 minutes, until the okra and the chicken pieces are tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for five minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use a heavy–bottomed pan or a Dutch Oven as they distribute the heat more evenly.
- Okra has a very short season and is only available during the summer. However, you can freeze this healthy vegetable in an airtight container for up to 5 months.
- The secret to this Bamya recipe is the long, slow simmering that brings the flavours gently together.
- Traditionally, the Bamia dish consists of lamb, beef or goat, lots of tomatoes, and okra. I prefer chicken legs or wings same as my mom used to do for us as a child. You can leave the meat out for the vegetarian/vegan version.
- Cooking the okra with tomatoes and lemon juice helps avoid slimness.
- The leftover Bamia Stew will keep for up to five days when refrigerated.
Nutrition
This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.
Karen
I made this, delicious!
Thank you.
Paul
Unbelievably delicious. This was my first attempt at an okra stew and I don’t think it could have been better.
Julian
A family favourite, my son absolutely loves it and always has seconds.
Lisa
Amazing and easy Recipe. I make it whenever I have Okra ! The tomatoes and Okra just *works* so well together.
Noor
This was so good, my husband and even my picky son were very pleased with their bamya.
James
I made this yesterday. Wonderful! We have leftovers we’d love to enjoy later.
Alice
I cooked okra for the first time and we all loved it. Will definitely be making this again!
Monica
This okra dish is absolutely delicious, and very easy to make. Thank you - it's a regular in our house now!