
AI-generated photo.
Iraqi · Iraq
Okra and lamb
Also called بامية
Okra and lamb, a dish from Iraq (بامية).
Pai editors’ mark 4 / 5
Plan, list, and collections
Okra and lamb is cooked in Iraq as its own dish. Fry the okra first so it stays in pieces, then simmer it with lamb and tomato. Amounts are scaled for four from foods this library can count, so the nutrition panel comes from those ingredients.
Health
How this plate sits
Counted from the ingredient table. The score, richness, and badges describe one serving as written. The ring and the nutrient table follow the serving count above. This is general information, not medical advice.
80
Health score
Light & nourishing
Moderate
Richness
Light
Light to very rich, from fat, saturated fat, sugar, and the cream or butter in the plate.
- Protein 41%
- Carbs 14%
- Fat 45%
Watch · Diabetes-friendly
It misses a gentler mark: sugar, fiber, the starch mix, or the richness of the plate.
Suits · Heart-friendly
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium stay modest, with some fiber.
Suits · Weight loss
Calories stay contained and protein is high enough to feel like a meal.
Suits · High protein
About 25.8 g of protein in the serving.
Watch · Low sodium
About 470 mg of sodium, above the 450 mg mark.
Suits · Gluten-free
No wheat, barley, or rye in the required list. Still read labels on sauces and oats.
Suits · Dairy-free
No milk ingredients in the required list.
Watch · Vegetarian
Meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish is in the required list.
Suits · Pregnancy
No alcohol, liver, or caffeine in the required list. Cook meat, eggs, and seafood through.
Suits · Gentle when sick
Mild, not fried, and not a very rich plate. Comfort, not a treatment.
Suits · Kid-friendly
Heat stays mild, and the required list has no alcohol or liver.
Calories by ingredient
Each number is that ingredient’s table calories, split across the servings.
- Lamb leg142 kcal
- Olive oil62 kcal
- Okra18 kcal
- Tomato14 kcal
- Garlic4 kcal
- Lemon juice2 kcal
Glycemic load
Estimated glycemic load for this count: 2.8. The bands come from the ingredient table.
Portion
One serving is about 244 kcal. Two portions would be about 488 kcal if you want a fuller plate.
Allergens. None flagged in the required list.
Make it healthier
Serve three-quarters of the plate
The ingredient mix stays the same. Calories are three-quarters of the counted serving.
About 183 kcal after the change.
Use half the kosher salt and brighten the plate with lemon or lime.
The same dish with less sodium. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
Replace the meat or fish with the same weight of drained chickpeas.
The seasoning and the method stay. The center of the plate changes. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
| Nutrient | Amount | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 244 kcal | 12% |
| Protein | 25.8 g | 52% |
| Carbohydrate | 9.1 g | 3% |
| Fiber | 2.9 g | 10% |
| Total sugars | 3.2 g | 6% |
| Fat | 12.5 g | 16% |
| Saturated fat | 2.7 g | 14% |
| Cholesterol | 74 mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 470 mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 790 mg | 17% |
| Calcium | 74 mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2.6 mg | 14% |
| Magnesium | 69 mg | 16% |
| Zinc | 4.1 mg | 37% |
| Vitamin A | 69 mcg | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 29.4 mg | 33% |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 1.9 mg | 13% |
| Vitamin K | 39 mcg | 33% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.3 mg | 28% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.3 mg | 19% |
| Niacin (B3) | 7 mg | 44% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.4 mg | 22% |
| Folate | 49 mcg | 12% |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.9 mcg | 77% |
These figures follow the USDA-linked ingredient table where a safe FoodData Central row exists. Optional ingredients are left out. A few pantry items still use Pai's curated numbers because no close USDA row was found. 50 g is the daily value for added sugar. This figure is total sugar, including fruit and milk.
- A serving stays under about 420 calories, so it can sit inside an ordinary day.
- A middle path: useful food, with one or two numbers worth watching.
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
Equipment
- Heavy pot
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
Each line is stored in grams. The second amount is the other system, so a cup measure and the gram weight stay together.
Okra2 cups220 g
Lamb leg1 lb450 g
Tomato3 tomatoes320 g
Garlic4 cloves12 g
Lemon juice3 tbsp40 ml
Olive oil2 tbsp30.77 ml
Kosher salt1 tsp4 g
Cilantro0.5 cup15 g
The first amount follows the unit toggle. The second is the other system. Both follow the serving count.
If you need to swap
- Use half the kosher salt and brighten the plate with lemon or lime.. The same dish with less sodium.
- Replace the meat or fish with the same weight of drained chickpeas.. The seasoning and the method stay. The center of the plate changes.
Method

AI-generated photo.
1Set a heavy pot over medium heat. For Okra and lamb, start here: fry the okra first so it stays in pieces, then simmer it with lamb and tomato.

AI-generated photo.
2Fry the okra first so it stays in pieces, then simmer it with lamb and tomato.
Cook 35 min

AI-generated photo.
3The liquid should be quiet and the center tender. Stop when this is true of Okra and lamb: Fry the okra first so it stays in pieces, then simmer it with lamb and tomato.

AI-generated photo.
4Ladle it into warm bowls. Okra and lamb is eaten in Iraq as this plate, with the sauce or garnish that belongs to it.
How you know it is done
Okra and lamb is done when the thickest piece is tender and the liquid is quiet, not at a hard boil.
If it goes wrong
- Okra and lamb looks done on top and is still raw in the center. Trust the cue in the method, not the color alone. Give it a few more minutes and check the center.
- Okra and lamb spread, sank, or turned out dry. Measure by weight next time, heat the oven fully, and stop when the doneness cue appears rather than when the timer ends.
Storage
Cool Okra and lamb, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for a month if the dish reheats in a pot or oven, not a raw salad.
How this dish helps your daily life
- Okra and lamb is cooked by simmer in Iraq. The steps follow that technique, including the timing above.
- The meat, poultry, or fish is the protein. The panel is this plate, not a generic serving.
Notes
Pregnancy. Cook meat, poultry, and eggs through. Use pasteurized dairy if the recipe includes it. There is no alcohol in the required list.
Allergens in the required list: none flagged.
Your stars and note
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.