Recipe to beat high blood pressure: Indian-style okra with potatoes

This makes a wonderful accompaniment to a spicy main dish. It is also good as a vegetarian main course for two, especially when served with Indian-style lentil dishes and warm naan bread.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35 to 40 minutes

Serves 4

• 1 large onion, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves
• 5-cm (2-in) piece fresh ginger peeled
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) canola oil
• 1 fresh red or green chili, seeded and finely chopped
• 5 ml (1 tsp) black mustard seeds
• 10 ml (2 tsp) ground coriander
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
• 5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric
• 500 ml (2 cups) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 can (400 ml/14 oz) no-salt-added chopped tomatoes
• 250 g (1/2 pound) fresh okra, trimmed and sliced
• 500 g (1 lb) baking potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 red, green or yellow pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) raisins
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro to garnish

1.  Put the onion, peeled garlic and ginger in a food processor or blender and puree. (Alternatively, finely chop the ingredients and mix well together.) Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onion puree and chili, and sauté over a low heat until the mixture is beginning to turn golden brown in places, 6 to 7 minutes.
2.  Add the mustard seeds, ground coriander, cumin and turmeric, and stir to form a paste. Gradually pour in the broth and tomatoes with their juice, stirring well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes or until the spices are cooked and their flavours blended.
3.  Add the okra, potatoes, pepper, raisins and season to taste. Stir well, then cover again and simmer over a low heat until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve at once, sprinkled with extra cilantro to garnish.

• If you are serving this as a vegetarian main dish, plain or spiced basmati rice tossed with chopped almonds or cashews is a tasty pairing.

• In addition to the delicious spiciness it brings to the dish, ginger also aids digestion.
• Chili peppers are a good source of vitamin C. Also, red chili peppers contain more beta-carotene than their hot green counterparts.

Key nutrients per serving: 300 calories, 70 calories from fat, 8 g fat, 1g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 7 g protein, 54 g carb, 9 g fibre, 290 mg sodium.

Blood pressure nutrients: 126 mg vitamin C, 81 mg magnesium, 906 mg potassium, 122 mg calcium.