Roasted okra masala over brown rice

Ingredients

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• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided (1 tbsp for the okra, 1 tbsp for the masala)
• 7 cups sliced okra, ½-inch rounds, ends trimmed
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 can (14.5 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juice
• ½ cup water
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• 3 cups cooked brown rice, for serving (¾ cup a bowl)

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 425 °F. Rinse the okra, then dry every pod with a clean towel; wet okra turns slick. Trim the ends and slice into ½-inch rounds.
2. 2Toss the okra with 1 tbsp of the oil on two rimmed sheets, one layer each. Roast 18 to 22 minutes, turning once at the 10-minute mark, until the edges are browned and a round is tender but not mushy.
3. 3While the okra roasts, heat the other tbsp of oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onions 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft with golden edges.
4. 4Stir in the ginger, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Keep stirring for 30 seconds, until they smell warm.
5. 5Add the tomatoes with their juice and the water. Simmer uncovered, stirring often, 12 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough that a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a trail.
6. 6Fold in the roasted okra and cook 1 to 2 minutes, just long enough to coat it. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the salt, lemon juice and cilantro.
7. 7Spoon over ¾ cup of hot cooked brown rice for each bowl. Cool leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if it is above 90 °F out), then refrigerate. Reheat to 165 °F, stirring.