I don't attempt to cook okra anymore... unless it's just fried. I ruined a big ol' pot of gumbo one time when I foolishly tried adding okra, like I had seen my mom and aunts do. It was so awful, I just threw it out...including the pot! But, if it's cooked right... oh so yummmy!!!
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/okra.cfm Here is an article on growing and caring and cooking okra. Especially that they should be stored unwashed and dry, and will last only a few days. Probably the reason that up here in the northwest we do not find good okra.
Okra and water do not mix ! If it is to be boiled as a side dish, keep the stem on !!Don`t overcook it and if you wish, you can pour off cooking water before serving to remove some of the slimey quality. When I freeze okra, I just take a damp paper towel and wipe it off and bag and freeze it whole with the stem. When ready to fry, remove from freezer and let thaw about 5 or 10 minutes then cut,roll in meal and cook. When adding to soups and stews I saute it in a bit of oil a few minutes before adding and that takes care of the slime problem.
Actually if you pick it and put it in a plactic bag but do not seal it, it will stay fresh a week or more !! I use the grocery store plastic bags and it stays fresh.
Thanks for all the replies. This is not a veg. most people seem to be fond of unless it is deep fried. I have never heard of leaving the stem on, nor would I have though of trying it. So thanks for all the informative answers, ESPECIALLY, the pea shooter idea. That is my favorite.
Hmmm... my brother just cut up a bag of okra, put them in a baggie and then in the freezer. Shall I take them out an cook rather soon... or do you think they'll last a few weeks? He was trying to save some for Hubby.
Cheryl, I've cut the tip and the stem end off okra, wiped it with a damp cloth, and frozen it packed tightly in freezer bags. It has lasted for months. I think your brother's okra will, too. I don't fry okra, but use it in gumbo, jambalaya, and stew it with tomatoes, onions, and bell pepper. That may make a difference.
There's only a couple people I'd trust putting okra in gumbo. And Hubby is NOT one of them! :-D He's pretty good at "down home cooking" but when it comes to gumbo... let's just say he's not allowed. However, I'm sure he'll do well with some stewed okra & tomatoes with smothered chicken and rice. Darn... now I'm just making myself hungry!
It will be fine cut up and frozen but if you are going to fry the okra, don`t thaw completely or you will have the slime problem. When its cut before freezing, its hard to get enough air out to prevent ice crystals from forming and ice = water and that causes the slime. You do not have that problem if its frozen whole and cut just before cooking. And it keeps in the freezer much longer !! I have some in my freezer from last year and its still fine.
I seems to be the easiest thing that Hubby and cousin planted. I beleive they were watered when the seeds were planted in mid-June. No one has tended to them or watered them since the end of June when Hubby left for out of town. My cousin comes about every three days to pick them. They are handling this heat and drought with no problems whatsoever.
Today I had okra for lunch and I suddenly remembered about this post so I told Becky to stop eating for a while so I can take a couple of shots of the okra before they were all eaten up. Microwaved Okra ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) This one of our favourite way of eating Okra. The trick to make sure that the okra did not become gummy and slimy is not to cut it with a knife, just nick it a bit and break it. It nick and cannot break then it should be in the compost bin, this is a trick that my mum thought us. This okra dish is simple, just microwave it for about 2 minutes and it is ready to be eaten. It is nice sweet and crunchy. Sambal Petai ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) We normally eat it with sambal for additional kick and flavour. Normally the sambal does not have those large beans like thing called petai in it. The petais were from a friend who have a tree and since there were only a handful of it Becky just decided to add in the sambal. About to be eaten. ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Instead of sambal, I think just enjoying it's natural taste with a little salt would be great too. Maybe with mayo or somekind of baked potatoes topping like ground beef would be yummie also!
KK, that is very interesting! Nick and break, that it is something I will try. Otherwise...way too slimy. Thanks for cluing us in on this method. I just picked my patch yesterday for someone, but as soon as I have some to try it on, I will do so.
