Bamiyes me kotopoulo (Yiahni okra chicken stew)

This dish is a muchloved meal of mine, and it’s perfect with some fresh bread to mop up all the juices on the plate. I would always order this if it was on the menu at Thea’s inn.

You can also make this without the chicken as a vegetarian option, and it’s ideal with some handcut panfried potatoes.

Serves 34

100ml olive oil

1 1.5kg chicken, cut into 8 pieces (you can use chicken thigh pieces if you prefer)

1 onion, grated

1 garlic clove, crushed

6 tomatoes, grated or 400ml canned tomatoes

50ml white wine

1⁄2 tsp sugar

1 bay leaf

3 oregano sprigs or 1 tsp dried oregano 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes

500g okra

To serve feta olives

Method

Using a large saucepan, warm the olive oil over a medium heat. Add two or three pieces of chicken at a time and brown on all sides, for about 68 minutes, until golden all over. Remove, set aside on a plate and brown the remaining chicken.

Add the grated onion and garlic to the large saucepan and saute until soft. Return the browned chicken back to the pan with the onion and garlic mixture and combine gently.

Pour the tomatoes over the chicken and stir to combine. Add the wine and enough water to cover the chicken. Add the sugar and herbs and season with salt and black pepper.

Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes, until the chicken is almost cooked and the sauce has thickened a little. This dish can also be cooked, covered, in the oven at 180degC.

Add the potatoes and cook a further 10 minutes, then add the okra, gently shaking the pan so they spread evenly. Add a little extra water if needed. Cover and simmer for a further 30 minutes, or until the chicken, potatoes and okra are cooked through.

Serve with feta and olives.