Turkish Chicken and Okra Casserole

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Trim the stems from the okra, and place them in a large bowl. Salt generously, douse with the vinegar, and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour while you prepare the other ingredients and begin cooking the dish. Toss from time to time.

2. Step 2

   Heat half the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large lidded skillet or casserole. Brown the chicken in batches. Set the chicken aside in a bowl. Drain off excess fat from the pot and discard. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the remaining olive oil and the onions. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the coriander seeds and Aleppo pepper (or chili powder or paprika), and stir until the onions are tender, about two minutes. Add the garlic, and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and sugar. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste.

3. Step 3

   Return the chicken pieces to the pot, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Step 4

   Drain the okra, and rinse thoroughly. Add to the pot with the chicken, arranging the okra on top of the chicken pieces. Add the lemon juice, cover the pan and simmer for another 20 to 25 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through, and the okra should be just tender.

5. Step 5

   If you wish, remove the chicken to a platter. Stir the okra into the sauce, and add the parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste, then spoon over the chicken and serve. Alternatively, stir everything together in the pot, season, and serve with rice or bulgur. Pass thick plain yogurt for topping.