It’s Ann here today. Andy is in OurLittleCorner trying to get into the head of a dog.
Recently some of our loyal and lovely BigLittleMeals readers have been less than kind in their reaction to the mention of okra. It all came to light after my blog about chia seeds and their “mucilaginous” consistency, i.e.– when soaked, chia seeds produce a thick, gluey substance that helps it store water and food by keeping the seeds moist.
The mention of a consistency that is thick and gluey must have inspired our readers to think about okra. “Slimy” is the most frequently used adjective describing okra’s texture. And “YUCK!” seems to be the most universal reaction.
How could such a beautiful plant produce a vegetable (well, it’s technically a fruit) which receives such negative remarks? I think okra is grossly underrated and terribly misunderstood. Its potential deliciousness is all about the cooking technique you use.
Before I give you the hints on how to remove slime, it’s important to note okra’s origin.
According to the New York Botanical Gardens, “Abelmoschus esculentus, commonly known as okra, is thought to have originated from the region around Ethiopia. It is estimated that the plant arrived in the Southern United States beginning around the 16th century through the slave trade. Okra was one of the few crops that enslaved Africans were able to bring with them from their communities and these crops were sucessfully cultivated thanks to the early growing season and mild winters of the South. Culinary historian Michael Twitty noted that “okra was one of the ultimate symbols of the establishment of the enslaved community as a culinary outpost of West Africa.” Okra became a staple in the personal gardens of enslaved people, providing extra sustenance when food was limited or withheld by slaveholders.” The same article states that “the term gumbo originates from the Angolan word for okra, kingombo. Fried and stewed okra with tomatoes were also enjoyed by enslaved people, and have become a hallmark of African American cuisine.”
My dear Louisiana friend, Katie, can’t say enough good things about okra and likes to steam whole okra (stems attached) and then dip the okra in lemon butter. And our daughter’s good friend who grew up in Cuba remembers his mom fixing stewed tomatoes and okra and advises that adding a bit of lemon juice is the key to removing sliminess (we’ve posted a great tomato and okra recipe from Leah Chase via Marcus Samuelsson; you can omit the seafood and sausage to make it vegetarian – and cheaper/easier).
Southern Living magazine, the perfect source for all things Southern, has several other suggestions to help you avoid okra slime: (1) cook quickly over high heat, (2) thoroughly dry and then cook in small batches, (3) use whole pods, or (4) soak okra in vinegar for 30 minutes and then drain before adding to a recipe. I totally recommend Southern Living‘s Maque Choux recipe. Maque Choux (“mock-shoe”) is a well-known Louisiana dish which features corn and okra (and which is easily made vegetarian by omitting the sausage, a revision which I think actually improves the recipe).
Bon Appetit has a column entitled “It’s That Simple” – with dishes you “can make with your eyes closed.” One of these columns is entitled “I Thought I Hated Okra Until I Tried It Pickled.” Bet you can guess what today’s recipe is! 🙂
Quick-pickled Okra
- 1 lb fresh okra, left whole but most of stem removed
- 3 mint or dill sprigs (or sprigs of basil and/or oregano)
- 3 peeled cloves garlic, whole
- 3 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
- 1 1/2 c water
- 1 1/2 c unflavored rice vinegar
- 1/4 c sugar
- 3 T Diamond kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
Sterilize 3 one-pint canning jars. Place a mint sprig, a garlic clove, and 1 tsp of mustard seeds in the bottom of each. Then tightly pack the whole okra into the jars, placing some stem up and some stem down.
Stir together water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and red chili flakes in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Pour hot vinegar mixture over okra, bringing the liquid to about 1/2″ from top of the jar. Cover with a tight lid and refrigerate at least 3 days (or – better yet – a week) before eating.
Try your pickled okra sliced on a sandwich, to decorate a Bloody Mary, or just straight from the jar. Pickled okra can be kept, refrigerated, for up to 2 months, according to Southern Living magazine.
We really like roasted okra! Charlie splits the pods lengthwise, then tosses them with olive oil and a favorite spice mix, then air-fries them about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Great for Happy Hour or in lieu of potato chips with a sandwich.
Andy here. Thanks for the tip. We hadn’t considered air-frying them and will give it go. Then we’ll wait for a happy hour to show up (a rare thing in today’s environment).
The kids used to LOVE okra. Sliced and Wok fried at very high temp. Yum. No slime.
It’s encouraging to learn that a new generation is appreciating okra. Wok fried is a good idea. Thanks for the comment.
“Clemson Spineless.” was my nickname in college.
It took a minute to get the “Clemson Spineless.” At first glance I was surprised that you were a Clemson alum but then realized you’re referring to a hybridized okra developed at Clemson in 1939. I’m always impressed with your nimble wit.
I always enjoy these excellent articles, but when followed with a hilarious post by the one-and-only Larry Squarepants, new heights are achieved!
Indian food uses a lot of okra—there are so many ways to make it: fried, sautéed, tossed into curries—and it’s never slimy.
Thanks for the comment. We’ll have to check out some Indian recipes for future consideration.
I hated it until I recently realized it could be roasted. Any vegetable is better roasted–witness brussels sprouts. Roasted is not slimy, and the slender red okra is tender and not tough.
Andy here: Good point. I used to hate brussels sprouts (as a kid I thought they were baby cabbages), but have come to adore them baked or otherwise. Thanks for the comment.
In your email announcing the blog there is a photo of a dish with sliced okra and some round yellow objects that look forever like salmon eggs, or perhaps frog eggs stained with turmeric. What are they actually?
Andy here: You are correct; those are salmon eggs – though not sure if they are stained with turmeric or they are the same kind as we used for fish bait when I was a kid (I’m guessing the former).