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How do I cook okra straight from the garden?
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread okra on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Bake just under the top rack of the oven for approximately 40 – 45 minutes, stirring with a spatula after 20 minutes and every 10 minutes after that until it begins to turn dark brown and crispy, but not burnt.
How do you eat okra from the garden?
Top lopped off, sliced in half lengthwise, and sprinkled with table salt…and sometimes lots of black pepper. To save time, you could also just take the salt shaker to the garden. Just pick ’em off one by one, sprinkle the outside with salt, and CRUNCH! Eat ’em in one bite.
How should okra be cooked?
Preparation Okra is excellent stewed, sautéed, stir-fried, and deep-fried. Okra goes well with tomatoes, onions, peppers, corn, and eggplants. The viscous liquid cut okra gives off will thicken any liquid it’s cooked in, making it a wonderful addition to stews. Gumbo likely got its name from the okra pod.
Does okra need to be soaked before cooking?
As mentioned, cooking it at high heat helps eliminate a lot of the slime. Make sure the okra is completely dry before cooking it. Get great tips on How to Cook Vegetables So They Don’t Wilt and How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Cooking Vegetables.
What can I do with fresh picked okra?
Put your sealed bags in the freezer. If there’s going to be a delay between harvesting and freezing, you can put your fresh okra pods in the refrigerator. Loosely wrap them in perforated plastic bags for 2 to 3 days max. When the ridges and tips of the pods darken, it’s time to use them immediately.
Can okra be eaten raw?
Okra pods can even be eaten raw. The less cooked okra is, the better it is for you. It’s high in fiber, folate, antioxidants, and vitamins A and C. Okra’s high fiber and mucilage content are ideal for helping with digestion.
What is the healthiest way to eat okra?
Roasting okra with olive oil and garlic is one of the best ways to prepare this tasty vegetable. High-heat baking enhances the okra’s taste, makes it wonderfully creamy, and removes the slime typical to this vegetable. Okra is one of those vegetables that people either really love or really dislike.
Is raw okra slimy?
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that okra can get slimy. The so-called slime is something called mucilage, which comes from sugar residue and is great for, say, thickening gumbo, but not great when you’re biting into a piece of sautéed okra and averse to that viscous texture.
How long does okra take to cook?
Place okra in a saucepan; add enough water to cover the okra and salt to taste; bring the water to boil. Cover the pan and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until the okra is tender. Drain well and, if desired, toss with a little butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
What are the side effects of eating okra?
Risks and precautions Eating too much okra can adversely affect some people. Gastrointestinal problems: Okra contains fructans, which is a type of carbohydrate. Fructans can cause diarrhea, gas, cramping, and bloating in people with existing bowel problems. Kidney stones: Okra is high in oxalates.
Is okra healthy to eat?
Nutrition. Okra is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants that help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Okra is also a good source of: Magnesium.
How do you store fresh okra?
Storage and food safety Refrigerate unwashed, dry okra pods in the vegetable crisper, loosely wrapped in perforated plastic bags. Wet pods will quickly mold and become slimy. Okra will keep for only two or three days. When ridges and tips of pods turn dark, it needs to be used immediately.
Why do you add vinegar to okra?
Viscosity peaks at neutral to alkaline pH, Preston said, which is why exposing okra to acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or tomatoes, tones it down. Some African cooks, she said, go in the other direction, adding baking soda (which raises pH to a more alkaline level) to okra soup to augment its thickening effect.
How long soak okra before cooking?
Place the okra in a bowl with the vinegar, and soak 30 minutes. Drain, rinse, and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown.
What does soaking okra in vinegar do?
There are a couple of ways to do this. One is to steam or blanch for 3-4 minutes and drain and dry the okra thoroughly before slicing it. Southern cooks swear by soaking the okra in vinegar and water or adding vinegar or lemon juice to the dish itself to cut down on the slime.
