There are various kinds of delicious Arabic dishes available almost everywhere in the world. One of them includes Bamia; although it’s not as well known as other stuff, it’s still considered to be a delicious meal. If you haven’t heard of this dish ever before, then that’s okay because, in this article, we’ve talked about what bamia is and how you can make it.
What is Bamia?
People from the Middle East are mostly familiar with the dish Bamia as it’s very commonly made there. Bamia is just an Arabic word for okra; it’s also at times spelled as “Bamya.” Okra or ladyfingers is a green vegetable that’s actually just seed pods of the plant known as Abelmoschus esculentus. It’s cultivated in climates that are hot and humid and has a slimy texture. For some people, the sticky and slimy texture of okra is off putting, but if you make it the correct way, it brings a lot of flavors to the dish, and bamia is the perfect example of that. Apart from being delicious, it’s also pretty healthy for you and packed with fiber, protein, calcium, and iron.
Bamia is a stew that contains okra as one of the main ingredients, along with lamb and tomatoes. Apart from these primary ingredients, some people also add in onions, garlic, tomato sauce, and multiple other stuff to enhance the flavor of the dish.
Benefits of Eating Okra
Since okra is the key ingredient when making the bamia stew, let’s look at the health benefits of eating it:
- Low Calories
One of the best things about ladyfingers is that it’s rich in nutrients, including vitamin C and K, that help build up the body’s immune system and blood clotting, respectively. It’s also low in calories, so it’s perfect if you’re on a diet.
- Antioxidants
Okra contains antioxidants that help the body destroy free radicals; hence it prevents cell damage. This process actually helps to fight or prevent cancer.
- Blood Sugar
A lot of studies have shown that eating okra helps keep the blood sugar levels in your body in the required amount.
- Prenatal Support
Okra contains folate, which is an essential nutrient for pregnant women as it reduces the risk of any kind of neural tube defects in the fetus.
Overall, eating okra will help you reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases, strokes, diabetes, and much more due to the combined effect of antioxidants, blood sugar and cholesterol reduction, etc.
How to Make Bamia
In order to make this delicacy, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Okra
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Herbs (dill)
- Olive oil
However, there are no hard and fast rules; you can add or subtract any ingredients you want when making it. The first thing you need to do is heat up the oil in a pan and add the okra to it and let it cook for a while. After a few minutes, add in the other ingredients and keep stirring it for around 30 minutes. Once that’s done, your tasty bamia stew is ready to eat, which you can serve with rice.