When you google, “okra is queer” my name comes up. That’s a pretty insane flex — so it only makes sense that my okra stew gets a formal Snack With Sash debut. A rushed meal I made in my quaint college kitchen became the first dinner I cooked for my girlfriend. Months later, my love for okra marked my New York Times debut.
Inspired by my Gullah Geechee ancestry and infused with my love of queer folks, I finally put this recipe on paper in February while preparing for Queer Food Conference. The core of my research was interviews I conducted with Black queer folks in the food space. I connected with many of my interviewees over okra stew, encouraging me to submit my rendition to the conference’s cookbook.
This one is dedicated to my Black queer kin. I love us!
Cheers,
Sasha
Okra Stew
Serves 3-5 people
1 heaping tablespoon of bacon fat, duck fat, or ghee
1 medium yellow onion, small diced
2 teaspoons of ginger garlic paste
2 jalapenos, minced with seeds and pith removed
1 large tomato, diced
½ pound of okra cut into ½-inch thick rounds
1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon
Salt (in layers), freshly cracked black pepper, roasted garlic powder, dried thyme, dried parsley,
½ pound of okra cut into ½-inch thick rounds
2 cups of stock of your choice
(I’ve used chicken, veggie, and even leftover potlikker from collards).
1 ½ cups of rice washed and soaked.
(I typically use jasmine rice, but if I had Carolina gold rice I would use that)
20-25 small shrimp, peeled and deveined
Melt the fat of your choice on medium heat in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan for 90 seconds or until shimmery.
Add onions and sauté until they stick to the pan and lightly brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and salt — Sauté for two minutes or until fragrant.
Add jalapenos, sauté for a minute, then add tomatoes and okra.
Stir semi-frequently and add chicken bouillon, roasted garlic powder, dried thyme and parsley.
Once the tomatoes are cooked down and soft, add rice and stir to combine.
Add stock of your choice, cover, and cook rice for 13-15 minutes on low heat.
Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, fluff, add shrimp, and cover again.
Steam shrimp for five minutes. If shrimp do not turn pink, turn the heat back to low.
Serve! (and scarf down before your next meeting with handfuls of salt and vinegar chips or savor slowly with the crush you’re trying to impress <3)
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