What to do with freash Okra? Ideas Plz

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joslin2005
joslin2005 Posts: 138
in Recipes
I was given some fresh okra and the only way I know how to cook okra is breading it and frying it. Or the pickled okra but not too crazy about pickled okra. Any healthy ideas or recipes, please share. :-) TIA
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  • guapogringo
    guapogringo Posts: 201
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    This post will mean nothing to 90% here; especially the yankees....I dont eat it fried usually but what i do when my dad gives it to me is chop it, freeze it and save it to put in a soup, gumbo or chili. U could cook it with some stewed tomatoes and eat it as well.
  • amjenty
    amjenty Posts: 22
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    I have fresh okra growing right now and I chop it up in pieces and saute them in a pan with Pam on med -low heat until golden brown turning both sides. It doesn't "taste" like okra like this and it never gets slimy. It has a nutty flavor and just delicious and fresh.
    It's very yummy :)
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
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    Well I'm from Alabama and the best way to eat it is fried. Hands down.
  • payupalice
    payupalice Posts: 126 Member
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    If the pods are small enough to not be woody, you can eat them raw.

    If you don't mind the slime, you can steam them.

    They are really good sauteed with onion and tomato.

    Gumbo!
  • kgeldreich
    kgeldreich Posts: 73
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    This is so so so good if your pods aren't huge and tough:

    http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/08/roasted-okra.html


    When they are browned like this--I could eat bowl after bowl of them! Also I don't stir it every 5 minutes---I'm a lazier cook than that ;)
  • pittcurl
    pittcurl Posts: 82 Member
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    Yep I'm a Yankee, but I grew up with a southern Pa, so I know me some okra..... and I only know it being fried. Ohh does that bring up some recipes. I did find online that you could bake fry them which would be a lot healthier. I know my hubby tried to buy me a can of mixed veggies including okra, but it still scares me a bit.
  • susanb8500
    susanb8500 Posts: 47 Member
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    I love okra - even pickled okra. You could make a delicious gumbo. Otherwise, you could try roasted okra: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-okra/. Also oven "fried" okra - http://family.go.com/food/recipe-885930-oven-fried-okra-t/. I haven't tried either recipe, but they have good reviews.
  • weevil66
    weevil66 Posts: 600 Member
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    I would hide from it. My dad grows it and it really isn't among my favorite food items, I think he and my mom tricked me into eating it as a kid and I am still scarred by that and the bittermelon. <<<Shudder>>>I think he mixes it in stir fry. Everybody but me seems to enjoy it.
  • ruthcooper
    ruthcooper Posts: 22 Member
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    Try doing a classic okra/corn/tomato side dish. I like to broil or roast sliced okra, grape tomatoes, corn off the cob, chopped onions, bell pepper, sometimes add garlic or jalepenos. Broil/roasting okra keeps the sweetness and flavor in and the slime out. Can do ahead and reheat or just serve at room temperature.
  • threnners
    threnners Posts: 175 Member
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    Throw some colored butter beans and the okra in a pot and cook. SO good.
  • OhLibra
    OhLibra Posts: 221 Member
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    Look up Bobby Flay's BBQ Okra (grilled). It's pretty tasty!
  • LovingLisa2012
    LovingLisa2012 Posts: 802 Member
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    I am thinking gumbo :bigsmile:
  • proudgrandma24
    proudgrandma24 Posts: 3
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    my grandma used to slice it so it looked like little round flowers, toss it in a bit of olive oil then maybe some corn meal or favorite seasonings, lie flat in the oven & bake to desired crispness (grandma fried them in lard DO NOT DO THAT PLEASE, if you want to fry them maybe try coconut oil or olive oil?)
  • 512cheangela
    512cheangela Posts: 133
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    I like them dehydrated with a little sea salt. Okra chips rock!
  • Gingeeee
    Gingeeee Posts: 28
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    I wash them and then cut them up like you would a cucumber, place them in a wrought iron pan, put some salt on them and alittle meat grease and put them in the oven for about an hour on 400 degrees. I love them cooked this way they do not come out slimey and they have a very nice flavor.
  • katy84o
    katy84o Posts: 744 Member
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    I just got some fresh okra from my farmers market! I boiled it with a bit of salt (the whole okra not chopped.) I boiled it for 10-15 minutes, the slice it. I was adding it to this recipe:
    1onion, 3 garlic, 1 green bell pepper all chopped and sauted in a little bit of oil (or vegetable broth) Once these are nice and soft toss in a bag of frozen sweet corn, the okra, and field roast mexican chipotle sausage (vegan grain meat sausage, and 1-2 seeded and chopped fresh tomoato. Keep stirring until everything is hot, you can add some cilantro salt and pepper to your taste.
    This was absolutely delicious and healthy! It made about 4 servings for me. You can use regular sausage, the field roast is just what I had in the freezer and I personally like it more. But I'd definitely recommend whatever sausage you use, use spicy.
  • nemrut
    nemrut Posts: 398 Member
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    Bump for later
  • pdbla
    pdbla Posts: 1
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    Toss it with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and roast it.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
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    I don't think I've ever eaten fresh okra, but I have frequently just thrown frozen okra into a casserole dish with a little water and microwaved to steam it (about 5 minutes with my microwave) until it's tender. I eat it as is.
  • nemrut
    nemrut Posts: 398 Member
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    I was introduced to okra (other than in Campbell's chicken gumbo as a child) in Turkey, where it is very popular, and usually combined with tomatoes in a vegetable ragout, or in a casserole with lamb or chicken.

    To eliminate the slime in one pound of okra, place the okra in a bowl and sprinkle 2-3 Tablespoons of white vinegar or apple vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of salt over them. Mix and let sit at least an hour, then rinse well before using.

    One of my favorite recipes is a chicken and okra casserole, though sometimes I use the recipe without the chicken. Brown chicken pieces in olive oil and remove them from the pan, then add a couple of finely sliced onions to the pan along with 2 tsp. of coriander seeds and a tsp. of kirmizi biber (you can blend sweet paprika and cayenne for this instead). Cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in 4-5 cloves of crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp. of sugar, 1 Tbsp. of dried oregano, 1 Tbsp. of tomato puree, 3 large tomatoes chopped up up, and 1/2 c. of water. Add the chicken pieces, cover and cook gently for 25-30 minutes. Arrange the okra on top of the chicken and pour the juice of 1 lemon over them. Cover the pan and cook another 20 minutes. The okra should be slightly crunchy, not mushy.

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