Okra-licious

Okra has come to be a favorite vegetable of mine.  Growing up, we never ate okra (for one it was usually over $2 a pound, a threshold my mom rarely crossed, and two, it was not a common Chinese vegetable), but just a few years ago, she started to buy it, and I had it for the first time on one of my trips home to visit. 

No turning back for this omnivore.  Okra is highly nutritious.   The vegetable is very popular among West Asians, Northern Indians and the eastern Mediterranean.  Okra is a really good source of fiber, vitamin B6, and folic acid (Ladies, you need folic acid!).  Really good for your intestinal tract. 

The taste might take a little getting used to.  If the okra isn’t chopped up, it has a bit of a gooey/sticky substance that holds the seeds in.  I have come to really like that part of the vegetable, but others may not prefer it as much.  When you buy okra, look for fresh green pods.   You don’t want too many dark markings on it.  You also want to look for smaller pods (3 inches or smaller), otherwise the okra becomes tough and stringy. 

Okra is versatile and can be cooked in a number of ways.  I tried this recipe when I held a dinner party awhile back.  I ended up making the dish a bit more complex than what I have posted below, but the base of it is here.  I think people like the way I cooked the okra, since it was somewhat clear from the remains of the dish that some people were “fishing” for the okra. haha

I would use a glass dish to bake in because the okra goo ended up burning on my metallic one.  I am saving you from the trouble.


Roasted Okra and More

Vegetables:
3 medium sized potatoes
3/4 pound of okra
½ bag of frozen edamame (or fresh)
1/3 bag of frozen corn (or fresh)
2 scallions

Roast potatoes and okra:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
Halve potatoes lengthwise and toss with scallion pieces, rosemary sprigs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread potato mixture in a large roasting pan and roast, stirring once, 20 minutes. Stir potatoes and add okra to pan, tossing to coat. Continue to roast until okra and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes more.

Cook the frozen stuff, edamame beans and corn, while potatoes roast:
Cook beans in 1 quart (unsalted) boiling water in a 3- to 4-quart pot 4 minutes or follow instruction of bag, remove from heat and drain.
Return water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon salt, then cook corn until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain corn in a sieve and immediately transfer to bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain corn again.

Combine all vegetables in your backing sheet, season with oregano, extra olive oil if needed, salt and pepper for taste.

Source: http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/ravi/okra/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra