Originally from Africa, okra is now widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and Indian and the American South. Ridged along its length, the green, slightly fuzzy pod contains rows of edible seeds that release a sticky liquid when chopped and cooked, which has led to it being used to thicken soup and stew recipes, such as Cajun gumbo, but it’s also served whole as a side dish. Its flavor is quite subtle, so it benefits from being cooked with strong, spicy ingredients!
Preparation
Wash and dry. If you are serving the okra whole as a side dish, and don’t want the liquid to be released during the cooking, trim around the stalks in a cone shape, so that the pod isn’t pierced. If you do want to release the liquid, chop or slice thickly or thinly, according to your recipe.
Farms that grow Okra
Recipes
Grilled Okra and Tomato Skewers
What else is in the bag?
Try out these recipes!
