Nigerian Okra and Plantain Stew

Before I started catching up on African dishes, I would have never thought of bringing together okra and plantains in the same dish. I love plantains and avoided okra during much of my childhood. These days, I cook it more often as Shankar likes them a lot. In this simple Nigerian stew, both the veggies blend well in their flavors and actually make the dish pretty interesting. One of the secrets is to cook the okra thoroughly so that the mushiness is gone!

In a sauté pan, heat a few tsps of olive oil, add one small chopped onion, let it soften. Add a couple of cloves of minced garlic and a chopped tomato and cook for a few minutes. Then add the sliced okra. Season with salt, pepper and cumin powder. I also added a pinch of chili powder. As the okra gets cooked, add a boiled and chopped plantain. Cook for a few minutes. Add some water depending on the consistency you want. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve!