Soft tomatoes with a crisp, sharp topping

Method

1. Dry and sear the okra

   Wipe the okra thoroughly, trim the caps and cut it into pieces. Warm the oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the okra in one layer and cook for eight to ten minutes, turning occasionally, until the cut surfaces look dry and lightly browned.

   Do not add salt yet. Salt draws water out at the exact moment you are trying to drive water off. The okra will look less glossy as it cooks, which is the sign that the pan is doing its work.

   

2. Build the spice base

   Move the okra to a plate. Add the onion to the same pan with a pinch of salt and cook for six minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and ginger for one minute, then add the cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli. Fry for thirty seconds, just until the spices smell warm.

   If the spices stick, add a teaspoon of water rather than more oil. You want the browned bits from the okra to loosen into the masala, not a greasy sauce that dulls the spices.

3. Cook the tomatoes

   Add the tomatoes and the salt. Scrape the bottom of the pan, bring the mixture to a steady simmer and cook uncovered for ten to twelve minutes. The raw tomato smell should disappear and the sauce should leave a clean line when a spoon crosses it.

   Keep the simmer quiet. A hard boil breaks the tomato down quickly but leaves a thin, sharp sauce. Slow evaporation gives the spices time to round out and gives the okra somewhere to sit rather than swim.

4. Return the okra and add the ${v.finish}

   Fold the seared okra back into the masala and cook for five minutes, turning gently so the pieces are coated without breaking. Add the finishing ingredient described above only after the okra is tender.

   Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the onion and leave for fifteen minutes. Lift out the pink slices and pile them over the masala just before serving.

5. Rest before serving

   Take the pan off the heat and leave it for five minutes. The sauce thickens as it stands and the okra absorbs the spice without becoming mushy. Taste once more for salt and acidity.

   Serve with rice, roti or flatbread. Keep a little of the topping visible on the surface so the first forkful tells you what kind of masala it is.