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Traditional Okra (Derere)

Derere (Okra) Recipe from Zimbabwe

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I last ate  derere (okra) made in this Zimbabwean traditional manner way back when I was weee tall and haven’t had it since (my kiddie-taste buds didn’t quite fancy it) 😀 !  However, I do know of some people who love it made in this way but just couldn’t figure out how to go by it. So I hope this recipe will help. You can add some chili pepper to this okra “stew” for that extra kick. Also, start with less water so you can always adjust the consistency of the “soup” if it’s too thick for your liking. Here I used about 300ml of water.

Let’s get started.

Pictorial Recipe Instructions

Here are some pictorial steps to follow. Hopefully, this will make the cooking process very easy. Regular recipe follows below.

Wash and cut your okra into rings. Chop your onion and tomato (a). Put boiling water in a saucepan/pot , add bicarbonate of soda and bring this water to the boil (b). As soon as the water boils, add your okra (c) and onions (d).

Whisk or stir briskly for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue stirring until the tomatoes are cooked through (another 3 minutes) (a). If you are adding chili pepper or cayenne powder, this would be the perfect time to add them. If okra’s too thick for your liking, you may add a little bit of water at a time until you get the consistency you like. Season with salt (b) and ground black pepper (c). Simmer for the final 2 minutes and you’re done (d)!

Also see  Muriwo weRape in white sauce

Not too difficult after all huh? Serve this with sadza (pap). Go ahead and give it a go. Remember, I’d love to hear from you when you’ve tried it.  

Zimbabwe Traditional Derere (Okra)
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Zimbabwe Traditional Derere (Okra)

Recipe by RumbieCourse: Traditional, VegetarianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

8

minutes

Get This

  • 500g okra

  • 1 small onion

  • 1 medium tomato

  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

  • 300ml boiling water

Do This

  • Get your ingredients ready. Wash and cut your okra into rings. Chop your onion and tomato.
  • Put boiling water in a saucepan/pot , add bicarbonate of soda and bring this water to the boil. As soon as the water boils, add your okra and onions.
  •  Whisk or stir briskly for about 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes and continue stirring until the tomatoes are cooked through (another 3 minutes). If you are adding chili pepper or cayenne powder, this would be the perfect time to add them. 
  • Season with salt and ground black pepper. Simmer for the final 2 minutes and you’re done!
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Recipe Notes

  • If okra’s too thick for your liking, you may add a little bit of water at a time until you get the consistency you like.