OKRA

Photo Credit: Thadah Wah

For those of you who fear okra for its slime, have no fear! You only need high heat. Fresh okra that's cooked at a high temperature for less time is generally way less slimy. One CSA member throws it on the grill and another throws it in a hot skillet and cooks it until just tender with some garlic and spices. It's also wonderful roasted (see below) or made into chips. And you can always bread it with cornmeal and buttermilk and fry it like a true North Carolinian. 

Don't mind the slime? You can stew okra with tomatoes or make gumbo. Or make quick pickles to enjoy or gift this fall or winter. 

STORAGE: Store okra in a paper bag in your fridge for several days. 

RECIPE: Roasted Okra (serves 4)

NOTE: You can also add in other vegetables to this recipe, like cherry tomatoes cut in half for color or even chopped water gourd!

Heat the oven to 400˚F. Slice a small onion into thin crescents. Cut the caps off the okra and slice in half lengthwise (do this right before cooking to minimize slime!). Combine okra and onion in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss to combine and roast for 10-12 minutes or until okra is tender and the onion is just beginning to brown. Toss with chopped fresh mint or basil and serve.

 

RECIPE: Bhindi Masala by Zainab Shah of NY Times Cooking

2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

Method:

Note: If using fresh okra, make sure to pat it dry before chopping. This reduces the sticky texture common to okra.

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