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Okra: It’s Not Just for Gumbo AnymoreIt seems as Southern as whistling Dixie but this tasty pod is migrating to a city near you.Think okra is just a southern vegetable? Think again. Above the Mason Dixon line this underrated, underused vegetable may not be as familiar as tomatoes but okra is appearing on restaurants menus from Telluride to Phoenix and have even been spotted in places like New York’s famous Chelsea Farmer’s Market. Okra might be a redneck cousin in the vegetable world but with the renewed popularity of cocktails, especially the martini, pickled okra has even been seen gracing a martini glass. For gardeners, both north and south, okra grows like a weed, providing a big ole mess of pods. They taste great, not unlike eggplant, when picked young and cooked tender crisp. Okra is also a vegetable powerhouse, full of vitamins, minerals and fiber, outpacing many popular vegetables in nutritional value. You can even decorate your home with okra. At the end of the growing season, any unpicked pods can be dried and used for a unique flower arrangement. For many, okra equals gumbo. But there are many other ways to enjoy okra. It tastes great cooked with tomatoes but also it’s quite popular in Indian and Egyptian recipes such as Bamia, a meat and okra stew. Intrigued enough to want to give okra a try on your next shaken, not stirred martini? Try this simple pickled okra recipe. Okra Pickles 7 cups white vinegar 1 cups water ½ cup salt ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 teaspoon mustard seed 5 cloves garlic, halved 3 pounds small okra pods, cleaned and dried Combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, pepper flakes, cumin seed, and mustard seed in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Using five clean one-pint Mason jars with two-piece lids, place 2 pieces garlic in each jar. Then pack the okra standing up into the jars, leaving about a 1/4-inch space in each jar. Pour enough of the hot vinegar mixture to cover leaving a scant amount of space. Seal the jars tightly and process jars for 10 minutes in boiling water. Remove jars from water and cool. Keep aside for 3-4 weeks before eating for best flavor. The nutritional lowdown: ½ cup serving of okra contains: Calories 25 Protein 1.5 grams Carbohydrates 5.8 grams Dietary fiber 2 grams Cooking Tips: •Choose pods no larger than 2-3 inches for best flavor. •Keep okra dry and cool until ready to cook it or the skin will discolor. •Wash and dry pods only when ready to cook. •Okra tastes best when cooked tender crisp, 2-3 minutes. •Don’t cook in iron or copper as pods will darken. •Don’t cut the pod unless using to thicken gumbo or soup. •To freeze, blanch for a minute or two before cooling and packing.
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