It’s Wednesday, and I need to sustain myself through the rest of the week once again! I’m a bit stressed about a grant application I am writing, so let’s not get too complicated. For a quick and satisfying meal, I’m going with something from Istanbul & Beyond: a triple-batch of Spicy Okra & Lamb Sauté. Dishes from I&B are always very simple and usually quite good (especially with some added yogurt and bread).

I decided to make the recommended garlic yogurt and bulgar pilaf. You really only need a 2x bulgar recipe for 3x (or even 4x) this main dish, whereas you can do with the full 2 cups of yogurt for every 1x this dish. Take extra care to not pierce the okra (that’s how you avoid the okra goop). This is a concern during cutting, but also with over-steaming and any vigorous stirring at the end of the sauté. I think I overcooked my okra a bit so be sure to keep a close eye on it.

The dish was a great everyday preparation because it has a strong lamb flavor; however, like many of the Turkish dishes in this cookbook, it is only flavored with a few ounces of ground lamb. You get the best of both worlds: It’s tasty, healthy, affordable, and good for the environment.

Joe’s Rating: 7
Difficulty: 4.5