Today I’m sharing Okra in Oil, or Bamiyeh Darawiyeh Bizeit.

This super tasty dish uses an abundance of caramelized sliced onions, tomatoes and sweet and sour pomegranate molasses. The okra provides an earthy note. It’s usually served as a vegetarian side dish and eaten with pita bread, but it’s also delicious with rice for your main meal.

I had no clue that Syrians cook with long okra. The only dish I was familiar with, okra stew with lamb, uses the short version. I was pleasantly surprised when my mother told me that in Daraa, a city in southwestern Syria, they make this vegetarian meal with the lesser-known variety.

Okra gets a bad reputation, mostly because of the assumption it will turn out slimy. The texture of this dish is perfect. Like most other Syrian dishes, the vegetables are roasted together until their juices release into each other and turn nice and soft. There’s really no limit as to how long you can cook the vegetables, so feel free to use a slow cooker or Instant Pot.

I hope you gives this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to put it in the comments and tag @omayah.atassi and #omayahcooks on Instagram! I love to see your creations.

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Okra in Oil (Bamiyeh Darawiyeh Bizeit)

Yield 6-8

Author Omayah Atassi

A delicious vegetarian meal with okra, tomatoes, peppers, onions and pomegranate molasses. Serve it as a side or appetizer with pita bread or as a main course next to rice.

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lbs) long okra, tops peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1/2 c olive oil
• 9 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red pepper, cored and chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, cored and chopped
• 4 juicy roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 c pomegranate molasses
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. Add the peppers and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, being careful not to burn the garlic, about 3-5 minutes. Add to the onions.
3. Toss the okra in the pan, cover, and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add to onions, peppers and garlic. Top with chopped tomatoes.
4. Add salt to the vegetables and combine. Transfer to a baking dish, cover with foil, and roast in the oven until vegetables are silky smooth and have released all their juices, about 1 hour, stirring about midway through. Add the pomegranate molasses and cook for another 30 minutes so the veggies absorb all that tangy flavor.
5. Let come to room temperature and adjust salt. Serve at room temperature as a side or mezze or hot as a main course. Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.