1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the chopped onion for about 2-3 minutes.

2. Roughly chop the pimientos and add the onion. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well.

3. Cut the ops off the okra and cut into halves or quarters if large. Add the tomato sauce in the pan. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper.

4. Bring the vegetable stew to the boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 12 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened.

5. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve at once.

Notes: Okra is now available all year around. Do not buy them any longer than 7.5-10cm and look for clean, dark green pods-a brown tinge indicates staleness. When preparing, if the ridges look tough or damages, scrape them with a sharp knife.