Okra

Grown since as early as the 12th century BC in Ancient Egypt, okra are widely used in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly in Greece and Turkey. From its place of origin it spread to the Middle East, North Africa and later on to the Americas and India. The green seedpods of this 1.5-meter tall plant are edible. The fruit is a capsule up to 18 cm long, containing numerous seeds.

Ștefan Baciu, 26.07.2013, 14:16

Grown since as early as the 12th century BC in Ancient Egypt, okra are widely used in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly in Greece and Turkey. From its place of origin it spread to the Middle East, North Africa and later on to the Americas and India. The green seedpods of this 1.5-meter tall plant are edible. The fruit is a capsule up to 18 cm long, containing numerous seeds.

The younger the okra, the tastier. For this reason, okras should be picked before reaching maturity, when the capsule acquires a fiber-like consistency and the seeds inside become very hard. With a rich protein and fat content, the mature okra seeds are used in oriental cuisine to cook various dishes. For instance, they are fried and ground, and used instead of coffee, according to a recipe which has been used since the time of Ancient Egypt.

Okras can be used fresh, pickled or frozen, to cook various dishes. The easiest way to cook okras is when they are used as the main ingredient. In order to do this, you need one kilo of okras, two onions and some tomatoes. The pods should be thoroughly washed, because when boiled, okras release a jelly. To avoid sliminess, okra pods are often simmered in a mixture of vinegar and water. Then, the okras should be rinsed several times with cold water until that jelly is eliminated and they are ready to be cooked.

Separately, finely chop the onions and dice the tomatoes. You can replace the tomatoes with tomato juice. Sautee the onions until they turn golden, add the okras and the tomatoes and leave to simmer for half an hour. In the end you can also add finely chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. If you like meat, you can also add chicken breast. You can also can okras, with onions and green or red peppers, and pickles can be used as an appetizer. Enjoy!