Nornie Bero's semur (stew) with okra and cassava

Name: Semur (stew) with okra and cassava recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300g warrigal greens, leaves picked; 60ml olive oil; extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 stalks lemongrass (white part only), finely chopped; 500g cassava, peeled, cut into 1 cm rounds (see note); 125ml soy sauce; 1L (4 cups) salt-reduced vegetable stock; 2 tsp ground pepper berry; 2 tsp chilli paste; 200g karkalla (beach succulent, substitute greens such as bok choy or silverbeet); 300g okra, trimmed; 300g dried rice vermicelli

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by Nornie Bero

May 23, 2023

The Mabu Mabu founder and CEO shares a vegetarian one-pot family favourite.

300g warrigal greens, leaves picked
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 stalks lemongrass (white part only), finely chopped
500g cassava, peeled, cut into 1 cm rounds (see note)
1/2 cup (125ml) soy sauce
1L (4 cups) salt-reduced vegetable stock
2 tsp ground pepper berry
2 tsp chilli paste
200g karkalla (beach succulent, substitute greens such as bok choy or silverbeet)
300g okra, trimmed
300g dried rice vermicelli

Method

1.

Fill a large saucepan with water, place over high heat and bring to the boil. Add warrigal greens and blanch for 1 minute to remove oxalic acid, then use tongs to transfer to a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water to cool down and stop the cooking process. Drain well, then set aside.
2.

Place a large heavy-based pot or wok with a lid over high heat. Add oil, onion, garlic and lemongrass and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until softened and light golden. Add cassava and cook, tossing occasionally, for a further 3 minutes or until light golden.
3.

Stir in soy sauce and bring to the boil, then boil for 3 minutes or until reduced by one-quarter and slightly thickened. Stir in stock, 2 cups (500ml) water, pepperberry, chilli paste and karkalla. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, then stir in okra and cook for a further 5 minutes or until just tender.
4.

Layer vermicelli on top of semur in pan or wok, then sprinkle over warrigal greens (do not mix through). Cover and cook, untouched, for 2-3 minutes.
5.

Remove from heat, uncover and serve.
6.

SPECIALTY INGREDIENTS: For dried native Australian herbs and spices, try mabumabu.com.au and herbies.com.au; for fresh native herbs and greens, try specialty fruit and veg shops.