Okra
Cooking Tips
- When cut, okra exudes a sticky liquid which is great for thickening soups.
- Use whole or sliced in an andouille sausage gumbo.
- Slice and stir fry (which cooks off the sticky juices) with other hot weather veggies and spices like garlic, peppers, cumin, coriander, or lemon.
- Okra can be boiled or steamed, but it is not recommended since they can come out slimy.
Details
Okra is native to Ethiopia, though it has been welcomed into Southern American cuisine, especially Louisiana gumbo. Okra can be found in the common green color, a pale green, and a reddish-purple type which many say tastes the best. It is most commonly found from California, but it will grow in Wisconsin during our hottest, most humid summers.
Whenever possible, use organic okra. It is a relative to cotton and is vulnerable to many of the same pests, so okra is often sprayed with the same chemicals as cotton. Look for okra pods that are 2 to 3 inches long to ensure tenderness, have a velvety feel and no blemishes.
Nutrition: A half-cup serving of okra is a good source of vitamin C and soluble fiber. It also contains insoluble fiber which protects against colorectal cancer. It also contains good amounts of vitamin B6 and folic acid.
Edible in your mailbox
