Okra
|oh-kra|
Try the Good Food app - subscribe todayThis green vegetable, also known as bhindi or lady's fingers, can be served as a side dish or used to thicken soups and stews.
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What is okra?
Originally from Africa, okra is a vegetable widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and Indian. It's also known as bhindi or lady's fingers, in reference to the long, elegantly tapering shape.
Ridged along its length, the green, slightly fuzzy pod contains rows of edible seeds that release a mucilaginous (sticky, viscous) liquid when chopped and cooked, which has led to it being used to thicken soup and stew recipes, such as Cajun gumbo, but it's also served whole as a side dish.
Its flavour is quite subtle, so it benefits from being cooked with strong, spicy ingredients.
Availability
All year round.
Choose the best
Look for firm, brightly coloured pods. Avoid those that are limp or which have brown marks – they won't be so fresh. The bigger they are, the tougher they are; around 7-10cm is best.
Prepare it
Wash and dry. If you are serving the okra whole as a side dish, and don't want the liquid to be released during the cooking, trim around the stalks in a cone shape, so that the pod isn't pierced.
Soaking the whole pods in acidulated water for an hour can also help eliminate some of their liquid. If you do want to release the liquid, so that it can thicken a stew or soup, chop or slice thickly or thinly, according to your recipe.
Store it
They will keep for a few days in the fridge.
Cook it
Stir-fry, chopped or whole (6-12 mins); steam whole (5 mins); grill whole (2-3 mins each side); chop and add to soups, stews and casseroles.
Follow our guide on how to cook okra for lots more tips and easy recipes.
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