Eats: Blackened Okra and Tomatoes

Blackened Okra and Tomatoes

Ingredients

onion
garlic
okra
tomatoes
mushrooms

Okra is a strange and slimy vegetable. I've been told that I'm an adventurous eater, but even I have trouble with the slime. I never cooked okra until a friend made this dish for me a few weeks ago. He said the trick is to blacken the okra and then stew in tomatoes. There is no exact recipe but it's simple: brown onion and garlic over medium heat. Add okra until blackened or softened. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, and liquid. Cover and simmer until the sauce thickens.

More detailed explanation with suggested variations:

1.  Dice half an onion and garlic. I used about 6 cloves of garlic; adjust to your taste. Brown the diced onion and garlic in a pan with hot oil, medium heat.
2. Slice the okra into even pieces. I used 1 or 1.5 pounds. I lopped the tops off the short ones, and cut the long ones into halves or thirds. Add the okra and cook over medium heat until the okra blackens. My friend's version was more black; he stirred less often than my version. I stirred occasionally and cooked it until the okra was soft. Next time I may remove the garlic and onions before adding the okra to prevent burning, and add them back with the next step.
3. Slice the mushrooms.  My friend used a handful of shitake mushrooms. I used button mushrooms. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have softened.
4. Add tomatoes and enough liquid to cover all the vegetables. My friend used canned diced tomatoes, and added salt, pepper, and another spice (maybe cumin). I diced two roma tomatoes and added tomato sauce which had previously been adulterated with onions, garlic and mushrooms.
5. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, leave the lid ajar, and simmer until the sauce has thickened. I simmered until it tasted delicious. I like this on rice but it would be good with bread too. Enjoy.

How have you cooked a new vegetable recently?