Iraqi everyday stew · Served with rice
Marag Recipe (Iraqi Okra and Lamb Stew)
Small okra. Fry the okra. Lots of garlic.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenMarag bamia is Iraq's everyday stew of lamb and baby okra in a tomato and garlic broth, always eaten with white rice (timman). It turns slimy when the okra is cut or added too early. The fix is using small whole okra, frying it briefly first, and adding it for the last 20 minutes.
The 3 laws of marag
Why this recipe works
Cut okra
Whole pods keep the slime inside.
Raw into stew
Frying seals the okra.
Plain tomato
They give marag its character.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Stew
The NineFoods marag gauge
Is the lamb ready for the okra?
Press a piece of lamb with a spoon.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Lamb base
- Brown lamb and onion, add crushed garlic, paste, tomatoes and spices.
Simmer lamb
- Add loomi, salt and hot water and simmer. Use the gauge above.
Okra
- Add fried okra and whole garlic cloves and simmer gently.
- Finish with lemon.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Cut okra or added early.
Fix next time
Use whole small okra, fry it first and add it for the last 20 minutes.
Why
Rushed.
Fix next time
Simmer until tender before the okra goes in.
Why
Loomi left in.
Fix next time
Remove loomi once the stew tastes balanced.
Why
Little garlic.
Fix next time
Use plenty; Iraqi bamia is very garlicky.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Small okra | Main vegetable | Frozen baby okra, fried from frozen |
| Lamb | Main | Beef or chicken |
| Loomi | Tang | Lemon juice |
| Tomato paste | Body | Passata, reduced |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Iraqi white rice with vermicelli (timman).
Store
Fridge 3 days; freezes 2 months.
Reheat
Simmer gently without stirring hard.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 5 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the lamb ready for the okra) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Marag FAQ
What is marag?
The Iraqi word for a stew, usually served over rice.
How do I stop okra being slimy?
Use small whole okra, fry it briefly and add it late.
Can I use frozen okra?
Yes, frozen baby okra works well, fried from frozen.
What rice goes with marag?
Timman, white rice often cooked with toasted vermicelli.