Now that Builder Guy is almost 9, we decided he was ready to learn some kitchen knife skills, something a little more advanced than spreading butter and jam. So I thought of some fruits and vegetables that he could learn on, things that weren’t too difficult and would allow him to easily handle it while learning to use the knife. Bananas and scallions were the first thing that came to mind, and then when I saw some okra in the grocery store I thought it would be perfect. When he saw the okra, Builder Guy was very interested and dove right in, and with a little help he managed to keep all his fingers intact.
We made a Cajun-style smothered okra with tomatoes, onions, and a bit of hot sauce, though this particular hot sauce is pretty mild. Go for whatever level of heat you prefer.
The boys all gave it a thumbs up, and the most hilarious comment was from Builder Guy, ‘”Mommy, it tastes like chicken and rice!” Kids say the darnedest things…
How Adults Can Help the Kids
- Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, pouring, chopping.
- Assign the simpler tasks to the younger kids, and save the more challenging tasks for the older kids and adults.
Safety Tips
- Make sure an adult is present at all times.
- Young children should not handle sharp knives or hot pots, though this is a good recipe for beginning knife skills.
- The oil in the pot will be hot, so be careful when adding the vegetables and watch for splatters.
SMOTHERED OKRA
Serves 4 to 6.
Equipment
3 to 4 quart heavy bottom pot with lid
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
2 pounds (about 900 g) okra, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
Preparation
1. In the pot, sauté the onion and tomato in the olive oil until the onion starts to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sliced okra, stir, and cover. Cook about 45 minutes, until the okra is tender and not stringy.
2. Season with the kosher salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Serve immediately with extra hot sauce on the side.
More Kids Cook Monday Recipes
More Okra Recipes From Around the Blogs
FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Roasted Okra
Viet World Kitchen – Grilled Okra
Homesick Texan – Spicy Pickled Okra
eCurry – Curried Okra with Chickpeas
[An original post from Andrea Meyers: making life delicious. All images and text copyrighted, All Rights Reserved.]
[Disclosure: This blog earns a few cents on items purchased through the Amazon.com links in posts.]
My friend was just looking for a recipe with okra that didn’t involve deep frying them. She is going to love this; it looks delicious. She will also love that kids can do it.