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When people think of okra (also known as "ladies' fingers"), they often think of a slimy, difficult-to-eat vegetable and so tend to avoid it. While okra is somewhat slimy in texture, those that know how to properly prepare okra think of it as a vegetable that is to be celebrated and enjoyed.
Many chefs choose not to explore the complexity of okra simply from a bad experience, or maybe by tainted word of mouth. When you learn how to prepare okra, however, your conception of the wonderful vegetable changes completely. In this article, you will learn how to prepare okra.
Ingredients
- Okra
- Egg
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cornmeal
Steps
Obtaining and selecting okra
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1Obtain the okra. You can buy okra from many fruit and vegetable suppliers. Make sure that the okra is fresh.
- While it may be difficult to harvest your own okra , it is possible and proves inexpensive.
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2Choose okra that is evenly green and about 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm) long. Too large and the okra will have a flat taste, and may be too tough to eat. Too small, and the okra will be difficult to cook.
- Avoid okra that look shriveled or are soft when squeezed.
- The okra should snap rather than bend.
Basic preparation of okra
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1Trim the stem end. Do this without cutting the pod itself. The conical stem attached to the pod can be carefully trimmed around to remove if desired. Remove the thin layer with your fingers. Doing this ensures that the whole vegetable is edible but it is time-consuming to do.
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2
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3Prevent okra from becoming slimy during cooking. This can be done by giving the okra a vinegar treatment, although you will need to do this well in advance.[2]
- Pour half a cup of vinegar into a bowl for every 500 g (1 lb) of okra.
- Gently swish the vinegar over the okra to coat all okra in the bowl.
- Leave for 30 minutes to soak in the vinegar.
- Remove the okra and rinse well. Dry and use as suggested by the recipe.
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4Know how to prepare the okra for different dishes. There are different ways to prepare okra depending on how it is being cooked:
- Slice into even-sized pieces for Cajun and Creole stews (e.g., gumbo) that are thickened using okra after topping and tailing it.
- Cut into slices or leave whole for frying (see below).
- Leave whole (but cleaned and prepared) for stews and casseroles where the recipe requires this. If the okra is cooked whole, it is not able to release its gelatinous substance.[3]
- If using as a thickener, blanch the whole okra first. Slice the okra and add to the dish 10 minutes before cooking time finishes.[4]
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5Use garlic and spices with okra. Okra goes well with eggplant, onions, peppers, and tomatoes.[5]
Frying okra
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1Cut off the stems. These are tough, with little flavor; see the instructions above.
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2Slice the okra in 1/4 inch (6.35mm) slices. If you cut them too thick, they will take longer to cook.
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3Beat an egg and soak the okra in this for about 5 to 10 minutes.
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4While that's soaking, put about a cup of cornmeal in a dish with salt and pepper. Don't use flour, as this will cake up and the okra will end up mushy.[6]
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5After soaking for a while, dredge the slices in the cornmeal, covering evenly.[7]
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6Heat about a 1/2 a cup of oil in a skillet on medium to high heat.
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7When the oil is hot, carefully place the okra into the pan.
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8Stir continuously, making sure it doesn't burn. Fry the okra for 2 minutes until golden, take it out and let drain on paper towels. Enjoy.[8]
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9Finished.
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I get worms from eating Okra?
Community AnswerIf you pick up fresh, green okras, you shouldn't have that problem. Boil them to be extra sure. -
QuestionHow long should I boil okra? Can I drink the water it is boiled in?
Community AnswerIt depends on the size of the okra and whether you cut it up. Generally, you should cook it until it's tender. You can drink the water, but it probably won't taste very good. -
QuestionWhy are there are very few recipes involving okra?Community AnswerThere are very few recipes using okra because unless okra is prepared properly before cooking it, it has an extremely slimy texture.
Warnings
- Handle okra gently.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Be careful when putting the okra in the hot oil. It can splash up and burn you.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- Skillet or frying pan
- Chopping board and knife
- Paper towels
- Tongs or slotted spoon
References
- ↑ Tess Mallos, Middle East Cookbook, p. 9, (2006), ISBN 1-7411-0231-6
- ↑ Tess Mallos, Middle East Cookbook, p. 9, (2006), ISBN 1-7411-0231-6
- ↑ John Newton. Food, the Essential A-Z Guide, p. 270, (2001), ISBN 1-74045-031-0
- ↑ John Newton. Food, the Essential A-Z Guide, p. 270, (2001), ISBN 1-74045-031-0
- ↑ John Newton. Food, the Essential A-Z Guide, p. 270, (2001), ISBN 1-74045-031-0
- ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/22176/fried-okra/
- ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/22176/fried-okra/
- ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/22176/fried-okra/
- ↑ John Newton. Food, the Essential A-Z Guide, p. 270, (2001), ISBN 1-74045-031-0
About This Article
"To prepare okra, start by trimming off the stem without cutting into the pod itself. Once the okra is trimmed, defuzz the okra by running it under cold water and rubbing the pod gently with a paper towel or vegetable brush. You can also reduce the sliminess of okra by letting it sit in some vinegar for 30 minutes before cooking. After its vinegar bath, slice the okra into chunks if you plan to add it to a gumbo or stew or cut it into thin slices if you want to fry it."
