Okra with an African Twist

Here's another side dish from August 11th of last year.  I shared this recipe with Selam Fikru and her husband Daniel.  Turns out okra is not traditonal in Ethiopia.  Daniel thinks the recipe is probably of Sudanese origin.  It's tasty no matter where is comes from!

Ethiopian Okra – Gombo

My husband and I dine regularly at Kansas City’s Blue Nile Café where Ethiopia native Selam Fikru works her magic entirely with fresh ingredients.   She says the secret to good Ethiopian food is to sauté the onions slowly over lower heat.  If you like this dish, you will love her food. 

1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP grape seed oil or ghee
2 cups okra, chopped into ¼ inch thicknesses
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium-low heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent.  Add the okra and jalapeno pepper, sautéing for 5 minutes more.  Add the tomatoes and salt.  Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes more until the tomatoes and okra are tender.  Add a small amount of water to prevent scorching if needed.