How to Cook with Okra

If you’re not familiar with it, okra might seem like a strange or unapproachable vegetable. Its fuzzy green pod and sticky seeds don’t exactly scream delicious taste treat. But fear not: okra is both versatile and delectable. It might even become a regular player in your kitchen repertoire.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Buy fresh or frozen okra. Fresh okra is available primarily in the summer. It is perfect for all okra recipes, but essential for frying and pickling. Choose bright greens pods that are free of blemishes and no more than 4 inches long. When fresh okra isn’t available, frozen okra works very well in soups, stews and curries. Frozen okra is sold both sliced and whole.

2. Make fried okra. Slice fresh okra in ¾-inch pieces and toss first in an egg wash and then a cornmeal coating. Fry until golden brown, salt well and serve with ketchup.

3. Make an Indian vegetable curry. Okra has a long history, with its beginnings in Africa and distribution all over the Middle and Far East. Indian cuisine offers numerous recipes that use okra as a star ingredient.

4. Make a Cajun-style stew. Okra works as a natural thickener, making it ideal for soups. Combine 1 cup of sliced okra with a 14-oz. can of chopped tomatoes, a 14-oz. can of black beans (rinsed and drained), ½ lb. of spicy sausage and about 2 cups of water. Add Cajun seasoning to taste and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the flavors have mingled.

5. Make pickled okra. Pickling is a great way to preserve fresh vegetables. Follow the same method that you would for pickling any vegetable, adding a few hot peppers for extra kick. Pickled okra can also be found in grocery stores near the cucumber pickles.