{"id":2078,"date":"2022-08-28T12:29:27","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T20:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/?p=2078"},"modified":"2022-08-28T12:29:27","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T20:29:27","slug":"embracing-okra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/embracing-okra\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing Okra!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fried, roasted, or boiled, there’s no wrong way to enjoy this hot-weather crop.<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\"\"
courtesy Lake Tahoe Markets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So what is okra?<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nWhile many associate okra with summertime in the Southeastern United States, it’s actually grown all over the world. The exact origin of this green, somewhat slimy vegetable is unknown for certain but has been traced back to West Africa, Ethiopia, and even South Asia. It was brought to the Americas centuries ago with the Atlantic Slave Trade. It’s an essential ingredient in many types of cuisine still today, including in the U.S. as mentioned, plus parts of Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, India, and South America.<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nThis hot-weather crop means something different to everybody. Regardless of how you enjoy it, there’s no denying okra is a versatile vegetable\u00a0that’s surprisingly high in nutritional value. Here’s everything you need to know about okra.<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nWhat is okra?\u00a0 These fuzzy green veggies are actually the immature seed pods of the\u00a0Abelmoschus esculentus<\/em>, or okra plant. They also go by the names “gumbo” and “lady’s fingers,” depending on where you are.\u00a0 Okra grows best in hot, humid climates, with India being the leading okra producer. While we might know this plant as a vegetable for culinary purposes, botanically it\u2019s a fruit, as it’s the seed-bearing part of the plant.<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nOkra can be divisive for its slimy texture. It contains mucilage, which is a naturally occurring substance that acts as a thickener for stews or gumbos, of course. While some are off-put by this, others find its unique texture perfect for roasting or frying. Quick roasting and dry heat can help minimize the sliminess.\u00a0 It also has a peach-like fuzz on the exterior and a mild, somewhat grassy taste. Okra is commonly used in soups,\u00a0canning, frying, roasting, or boiling.<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nWhile frying is not the best way to prepare vegetables for health, you can still reap the benefits of okra even in fried form. Okra is rich in fiber and protein, and low in calories. Vegetables often lack significant amounts of protein, making okra unique in this aspect. Plus it’s chock full of vitamins (including vitamin C) and antioxidants.<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nNo matter which way you choose to prepare it, okra will need to be rinsed and patted dry before cutting or slicing. Depending on which cooking method you intend to use, okra can be cut into rounds, sliced lengthwise, or cut diagonally. If you’re planning to cook your okra on low heat,\u00a0like for gumbo, you can also soak it in vinegar before cooking to help reduce the slime.\u00a0 For okra that is crisp and crunchy, try roasting, frying or grilling\u00a0to help minimize the slimy texture and bring out the grassy flavor of okra. If you’re looking for melt-in-your-mouth okra that doubles as a thickening agent, try cooking it\u00a0low and slow in a stew.\u00a0 Looking to get the best of both worlds?\u00a0Sauteed okra\u00a0still gives you that moist and tender texture but with just a hint of crispness.\u00a0Okra and tomatoes<\/a>is a classic example.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Reprinted courtesy Lake Tahoe Markets<\/a><\/p>\n

Until Next Time…<\/p>\n

Happy Gardening…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fried, roasted, or boiled, there’s no wrong way to enjoy this hot-weather crop. So what is okra? \u00a0 While many associate okra with summertime in the Southeastern United States, it’s actually grown all over the world. The exact origin of this green, somewhat slimy vegetable is unknown for certain but has been traced back to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[156,3,54,84,149],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-okra","category-gardening","category-healthy-cooking","category-lake-tahoe-markets","category-nogmo"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.1","language":"fr","enabled_languages":["en","es","de","fr","ru"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"es":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"de":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"fr":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2078"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2080,"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078\/revisions\/2080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aladaymobilemedia.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}