Okra Stew (also known as Yambo) is one of Curacao’s most famous traditional dish. There is however an unspoken rule when preparing Okra Stew: “Prepare more than enough!” That’s right, this dish will have your guests requesting for seconds at the first taste. Don’t be intimidated by its popularity, it’s very simple to prepare. Plus, with the best paired wine, you’ll be awarded “Host of the Year” at the end of the evening.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of fresh okra, cut into ½-inch rings
• 1/4 cup Goya olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of Inproba soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Goya wheat flour
• 1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
• 6 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch dice
• 4 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 Goya bouillon cube
• 1 can of Goya diced tomatoes
• 1 can of Goya kidney beans
• 1 can of Goya green lentils
• 2 bay leaves

Are you ready? Let’s begin…

Add oil and flour in a deep skillet and let cook until flour is dissolved. Add onion and fry until golden, followed by scallions, garlic and celery. Let it cook for a couple of minutes. Then, add bell pepper and the okra. Cover the skillet and let it cook for 10 minutes.

Next, add diced tomatoes, bouillon, bay leaves and soy sauce. Let simmer for 20 minutes, making sure the stew does not get burned at the bottom. Once the stew is almost ready, add beans, lentils and cook until soft. This will take 7 to 10 minutes. Serve with white rice or funchi.