Chicken Okra Low Effort

This reciPL becomes low-effort if you have a pressure cooker. This is not a common item in some countries in Europe or North America, but it drastically reduces the cooking time of food. IMHO it is better than the popular Airfryer (which I don’t have) (but I do have a pressure cooker and it helps me a lot to mechanize my proofs dishes).

Ingredients

• 4 chicken legs (drumsticks + thighs) (with bones, with skin)
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 onion
• 0.7 kg okra
• Canola oil or sunflower oil, salt and pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• Paprika
• Water (or chicken broth if you want)

Preparation

In a large bowl, add the chicken. Peel the garlic cloves, and using a garlic press, add the garlic into the bowl. Chop the onion into small cubes, add it to the bowl. Add salt and pepper. Take the bow to the fridge while you handle the okra.

Let’s move to the okra. Wash it and dry them with a kitchen towel. Slice each okra and generate ~ 1cm elements. Heat up a large pan frying pan. Add the canola oil (cover the bottom of the pan; usually 2 tbsp will do the job), then add the okra. Add salt and pepper. Set up medium-low heat, let the sticky contents of the okra evaporate. It takes between 20-25 minutes. From time to time, take a look at the okra and mix the contents with a spoon, very gently.

While the okra is in process, get back to the chicken. Get your pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp canola oil in the pressure cooking pan. Add the contents of the bowl into the pan. Heat up the pan (don’t set it to pressure mode yet) (Hint: there is usually a ‘Fry’ option in these electric cookers, which is suitable to use here). You want to quickly add colour to your chicken, so heat it for about 5-6 minutes. To help with colour and flavor, add 2 tsp paprika.

Once the chicken starts to get a golden colour, add 100ml of water (or chicken broth) if you are using an electric pressure cooker, or add water until you almost cover the pieces of chicken (don’t cover it completely). That will be about 200ml-250ml for this reciPL. Add the bay leaves. Cover the pan, set it to pressure mode, set the cooking time for 9 minutes (for electric pans. In conventional pressure cooking pans, you might get it done within 8 minutes of pressure; and yes, 1 minute makes the difference).

Let’s get back to the okra, which might be ready at this point. Turn of the heat, let it cool down a bit. Take a large colander, pour the contents of the okra pan. You want to remove the oil. The okra is done, set it aside.

The chicken might be done, remove the pressure of the pan, open it, activate the boil function (on the electric pan), or set the stove to medium heat. Add the okra in the pan, leave it for 4-5 minutes. Mix it gently and slowly.

Enjoy your meal!

Useful Hints

You can serve this reciPL with rice or salad. You can also freeze small portions for a week. It’s perfect when a paper deadline approaches.

A Digression

I consider this reciPL a low effort one, but apparently my friends from the US don’t. It might be a matter of categorical semantics.

• 2022 2
• 2021 14