Tuesday eating from your yard tip~Okra is eaten in most warm regions of the world ~ all those people can’t be misguided in their love of okra. I was first introduced to okra by some friends from Ghana with it cooked in spicy tomato gravy served over rice. Then I tried tempura okra and what is gumbo without okra? Really there isn’t much you can’t throw okra into and make it better. My okra cookbook has okra pickled, in casseroles, scalloped and even a couple bread recipes. It is best to pick the okra when they are finger sized before they get tough and develop spines (you can get spineless okra seeds), which is tricky because they grow really fast. When you have a glut of okra, slice the okra pods up and freeze them for winter use. My friend Muriel Mason, who is a child of the south, sautés okra with onion, garlic and tomatoes. Her tip to get rid of the slime is to add a little vinegar when your cooking okra. Tram Duong told me about okra in sweet and sour fish soup. Sara Cave’s top choice is pickled with pearl onions, jalapeños and carrots. Lezlie Abbott adds okra to her bhindi masala. Laura Walther Schaefer roasts the seeds with olive oil and salt. While some folks object to the slime it thickens your sauce and soups and helps with digestion. After all these yummy ideas if you still can’t get past the slime, the okra plant and flowers are a stunning addition to your garden. Paint the dried pods gold and hang them on your Christmas tree~ha!! How do you eat okra?
