🥘 Bamieh bi zeit (okra in olive oil)
Bamieh bi zeit is a Levantine dish of small okra pods gently stewed in olive oil with tomato, onion and plenty of garlic. A splash of pomegranate molasses gives it a sweet-sour edge, and fresh cilantro is stirred in at the end. The okra turns soft and silky while the sauce stays bright and tangy. It is usually served at room temperature as part of a mezze spread.
Diets
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens in a typical recipe.
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g small okra, stems trimmed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 ripe tomatoes, grated, or 400 g chopped canned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Rinse the okra and dry it well; trim only the very tip of each stem so the pods stay closed.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and briefly fry the okra for 3–4 minutes, then lift it out.
- In the same pan soften the onion for 5 minutes, add the garlic and half the cilantro and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper and 150 ml water, return the okra and simmer gently, covered, for 20–25 minutes until tender.
- Stir in the pomegranate molasses, cook 2 more minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.
How to make it lighter
- Olive oil is most of the calories here: 1 tbsp ≈ 120 kcal, so 2 tbsp instead of 3 for four servings still tastes rich.
- Skip the initial frying of the okra and simmer it straight in the sauce to use less oil.
- Pair it with grilled chicken or a bowl of lentils for a filling plate that stays light.
History
Dishes cooked 'bi zeit', in olive oil, are a long-standing family of vegetable stews in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, eaten cold and often meat-free. Today bamieh bi zeit is a summer staple across the Levant, when young okra is in season.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →