Okra: Abelmoschus esculentus

Floridata: Abelmoschus esculentus:

Usage
Okra should be picked every 2-3 days before the pods become tough and woody. This usually means before the pods exceed 5" in length, although size doesn't really matter: it's the age of the pods rather than their length that determines if they are too woody and stringy to eat. Use your thumbnail to test for tenderness. Even if you aren't going to use the okra, picking every other day encourages continued production. Cut the pods off on the stem with shears or a knife; don't cut off the caps as this will cause them to "bleed" and become slimy. Use okra as soon as possible after harvesting and do not store in the refrigerator. In tropical climates, it is common to cut back mature okra plants to the ground for a second flush of growth and pod production. Be sure to side dress with a balanced fertilizer.

Okra flowers resembles those of its close cousins the hibiscus and rose-of-sharon. Okra pods can be seen below and to the left of the blossom.

Our favorite way to eat okra is to lightly sauté the fresh pods (including the caps and a short length of the stem) in olive oil, then eat all but the cap and stem. This way they are NEVER slimy. Our other favorite way to eat okra is cut up (without the caps) and cooked in a pot with sliced tomatoes and onions. Okra for gumbo is cut into sections (the caps discarded), and the sliminess acts as a thickener. Okra is also dried and powdered to use as a thickener. Many southerners like their okra dipped in batter and deep fried. This also eliminates the sliminess. Okra is also great pickled; use the recipe for cucumbers that comes with the supermarket pickling spice. Okra seeds removed from pods too mature and woody to eat can be boiled, baked, ground into meal for bread or tofu, or used as a coffee substitute. In India, the pods are dried, sliced into sections, and then fried for a crunchy, almost breadlike snack. We freeze okra whole, with the caps and a short length of stem, to use later in gumbos, soups and stir fry. Just keep adding more fresh pods to the freezer bag until it's full, then take 'em out as you need them.

Features
Okra is low in calories and high in vitamins A and C and in calcium, iron and protein. Properly prepared, it is delicious and not at all mucilaginous or "slimy." Americans rank okra as one of their least favorite vegetables. Apparently they haven't had whole okra sautéed in olive oil, or pickled okra, or a big pot of tomatoes, onions and okra stew, not to mention a New Orleans seafood gumbo!

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