How to Boil Okra Seeds

Okra has been traced to the banks of the Nile in the 12th century B.C.

Okra is a thin, green vegetable that often can be found in Asian, African and South American foods. Although not a particularly versatile vegetable, it is still widely used in curries and pickles, or eaten with a simple dressing. Okra is a fibrous vegetable with seeds running through its middle. Boiling just the seeds is not possible because it serves no real purpose, and has little nutritional value, so it is best to boil the seeds in tact with the okra flesh.

Things You'll Need

• 12 tender okra with ½-inch stems
• Knife
• Saucepan
• Cold water
• 1 tbsp. cider vinegar
• Fork
• Colander
• 1 tbsp. dripping
• Salt

Instructions

1. Wash the okra to remove debris or mud from the outer skin. Cut off any excess length of stem from the top of the okra using a knife.

2. Put all the cleaned and prepared okra in a saucepan, and cover them with cold water.

3. Place the okra on the hob, and cover with a lid. Leave the okra to boil, and then when it is boiling add the vinegar. It is important to not stir the okra during the boiling process. Simply shake the pan slightly to move them around; shake once or twice until they are cooked.

4. Test the okra with a fork. Skewer the vegetable with the fork, and feel if it is soft. The okra will be tender to touch when it is ready. You will know this because the fork will easily glide into the okra.

5. Drain off the water from the saucepan using the colander, and then put the okra and seeds back into the pan.

6. Give the okra and seeds flavor by add a pinch of salt and covering with the dripping. Stir the mixture around.

7. Break up the tender okra using the fork to reveal the seeds inside, and then serve.

References

• Neurophys: All About Okra
• Cooks: Boiled Okra