I decided I like fresh Okra

[jennifer28]

I never liked Okra. I had a friend who kept pestering me to grow some dwarf okra. She sent me seeds. I gave the first batch she sent away here.

She found out. She sent me more seeds. I decided to grow two of the seeds to appease her.

I had my first fresh okra yesterday right off the plant. I LOVED it. I actually saved some so I can grow a bunch of it next year. I found that when i eat it fresh off the plant it isn't as slimy as frozen Okra.

I am always nagging my students to try new foods. I can't believe I was so against okra. I really like it now. I'll be growing a lot next year.

[babice]

Yes ma'am. It's particularly tasty (and not slimy) if you sautee it. I like to brown it in an iron skillet (rolling it around to brown all around). It's also good pickled (again, not slimy).

[jennifer28]

Yum that sounds delicious. I think I'll try it in a skillet next year. It's like a cucumber with crunchiness but better.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Another convert! Great day in the morning!

[meadowyck]

I just can't get passed the slim to even being to think about trying it. My Dad would love it if I did grow it, besides it is just too strange looking to grow.....LOL (childhood, would never eat anything strange looking due to too many horror movies...)

[babice]

Jan - trust me! Try it! We had a friend over for dinner and I sauteed up this okra and he was very surprised. I learned to eat it this way at a health retreat I went to. I'd never had it that way before.

Ms. Jennifer - you don't have to wait until next year! I buy a bag frozen. I actually saute it up frozen. Don't let it thaw. At the health retreat I went to, they had cooking classes. The chef taught us that if you cook it from frozen, it won't get slimy.

[jennifer28]

Jan
I was anti okra for many years. I really only grew it to make my friend stop nagging me. I can't eat it too cooked, because I need the crunchy texture to like it. It is something I will grow and eat raw. I think I'll even put it in salads. For some reason when it is raw I don't find it so slimy. And yeah it is weird lookin', LOL

[habitat_gardener]

Okra is beautiful! It's in the same plant family as hibiscus and mallows, with the same kind of gorgeous flowers. It doesn't get hot enough to grow big plants at my garden site, but one year I grew some 3 ft. plants in a warmer area.

I love it raw, but as a cooked vegetable it goes well with tomato sauce and garbanzo beans.

[jennifer28]

Habitat gardener, I didn't know it was related to hibiscus. That would explain the beautiful flowers. I enjoyed them. I love growing ornamental hibiscus of different types.

[Worth1]

I really cant believe folks dont know it is kin to the hibiscus.

If you put a dash of vinegar in okra when you cook it it wont be slimy.
If you put okra in a kettle with a little water and bring to a boil then turn off and remove from the heat it is fantastic.
Don't over cook and let it stay that fresh green color.

If you over cook okra it is fantastic.
I like cold cooked okra out of the fridge with salt and pepper on it.
Boo Boo loves okra.
If it is slimy it is fantastic.
I like okra raw, pan fried with or without breading.
I like it pickled.
I like okra art.
I like okra.

If I was dictator it would be on the flag.
It would be required to grow in every yard.
People would be required to eat okra at least 4 times a week.

I love okra.

Worth

[Fusion_power]

/me gives worth his official "Sam I Am" stickpin.

I like okra too, but I prefer it fried or else used in soups and stews.

DarJones

[JohnWayne]

Fried, Okra takes on a different crunch... Kind of like fried chicken. Fried okra with or without breading along with mashed potatoes Mmmm Mmmm !

The frozen okra breaded or not is one of those small wonders. If you find a good company that picks it before it gets stringy it is like having a little bit of summer all winter long.

It is also pretty awesome when fried along with green tomatoes.

As someone said above, It also makes a great pickle !


I really do hope that now you've tried it, you will try the frozen instead of waiting until next year.

[jennifer28]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I really cant believe folks dont know it is kin to the hibiscus.

LOL@ Worth

I'm "folks" since I really didn't know that about okra. I'm educated but I'm not necessarily "smart" hahahaha

[jennifer28]

Dar,

I'm going to try the okra in chili. Someone suggested that to me here a while ago.

John- I don't know about frozen, I'm kind of afraid, especially here in the North where a lot of people don't eat it so much. I'll try to get a brand recommendation from someone who eats it.

[ScottinAtlanta]

For those of you who have not seen the Okra flower, here is a recent stunner from my garden. They will never be ornamental flowers because they are open only a couple of hours.