Seasonality
Okra is at its peak in the summer — especially in the months of July and August, tapering off in early fall.
Geography
It is a minor commercial crop in the US, with production concentrated primarily in the South — especially in Texas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama. Okra is also grown commercially in California. Globally, India leads cultivation, followed by Nigeria, Sudan, Iraq and Cote d’Ivoire.
EatingOkra
Storing
If you’re planning on cooking it right away, store the pods on the counter, otherwise, store them unwashed in a paper bag in the fridge for two or three days.
Cooking
Tip: If you’re feeling intimidated by its famous mucilage, here’s a method for reducing the slime: salt whole pods first, briefly soak them in water with some lemon or vinegar, drain and cook. Here are some other tips for minimizing the goo. Frying, roasting, grilling, or quick sautéing are all methods that cut back on the mucilage. The classic Southern method of fries sliced okra in a simple cornmeal coating; you can also batter whole pods and fry them up.These fried okra tacos and cheese-stuffed fried okra are more creative takes on fried okra. Oven roasting is another great option — check out these roasted okra chips or these simple oven-roasted whole okra pods with thyme.
If you do enjoy the slimier side of the vegetable, try it as the traditional thickener in Creole gumbo, a stew usually made of shellfish and sausage. or stew the pods with tomatoes. You can also look to Brazil, India and the Middle East for recipes outside of the Southern cornmeal-fried okra comfort zone — these cuisines have strong traditions of cooking with the pods. Check out this recipe for Brazilian sautéed okra with cashews; there is also a type of Brazilian gumbo (Caruru de Camarão) typically made with shrimp and okra.
Indian cuisine and okra are made for one another — try author Madhur Jaffrey’s whole okra pods stuffed with spices. Okra stew is common in many Middle Eastern countries — recipes vary by region, but the pods are usually stewed with spices and sometimes with the addition of beef, lamb or chicken. Or take it back to okra’s African origins with this delicious-sounding West African okra stew with chicken and peanut butter.
If you dig “nose-to-tail” veggie eating, this vegetable is for you: the leaves, flowers and seeds are also edible. Young okra greens can be cooked like spinach or beet greens (or eaten raw) and the seeds can even be ground and used as a coffee substitute.
Preserving
The vegetable takes well to preservation — try pickled okra in your next Bloody Mary. It can also be dried and made into chips. Have an abundance of okra? Freeze it for year-round enjoyment! Here’s how you do it.
Nutrition
The vegetable is nutritionally rich — it’s high in Vitamins K and C, and is a good source of folate, Vitamin B6, manganese and calcium. The green pods are also high in fiber. In alternative medicine, it is said to relieve constipation and help with digestive ills.
