Should i wash okra

Then follow these steps for how long to cook fresh okra on the stovetop:. Test Kitchen Tip: Conveniently, okra season stretches into fresh tomato season, and the two marry beautifully on the plate. Find out how to cook okra and tomatoes in this classic stovetop recipe for Smothered Okra.

Then follow these steps for cooking okra in the microwave:. Test Kitchen Tip: Wondering how to cook frozen okra? Just follow the package directions. Frozen okra is especially good for soups and stews, its vicious interior liquid helps thicken the dish. For a true-to-Louisiana way to enjoy frozen okra, try this Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe. Remember what we told you about cooking okra over high heat? And when it comes to heat, deep-frying is definitely hot! Learn how to cook fried okra with this classic recipe for Deep-Fried Okra.

Also try this Jambalaya Fried Okra with a great Creole-inspired shrimp dip. Our fried okra recipes call for fresh okra because frozen okra has a softer texture than fresh.

We prefer to use frozen okra in okra recipes for soups and stews, including, of course, gumbo. We love roasting vegetables , and okra is no exception. Test Kitchen Tip: Can you grill okra? You bet! Grill up some okra for these Grilled Okra Tacos. We know, okra is not the most common vegetable out there, here are answers to some of your okra questions.

What Is Okra? A member of the mallow family of plants and a mainstay of Southern cooking , okra was brought to the United States by Ethiopian slaves. The oblong green okra pod is the edible part of the plant. Okra tastes great in so many ways! Fried is probably the most common, but any high-heat cooking method is great. What is the Nutritional Value of Okra? One trick is to plant okra in extra-wide rows and with spread-out spacing to yield more pods per plant and make harvesting a snap.

Okra is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants that help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Okra is also a good source of: Magnesium. Some say soaking the okra in vinegar for 30 minutes to one hour before cooking can reduce the sliminess. Just make sure to pat it completely dry before cooking. Others recommend keeping the okra in big pieces because the more you cut them, the more mucilage will be released.

Try to find fresh okra, and the heat from the oil should cook all of the slime out of the pods. You should also be sure to dry your okra very well before cooking it, the drier the less slimy, this is also why frozen okra has a tendency to be so slimy when cooked. The best way to keep fried foods crispy? Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. You can store fried okra in either the fridge or the freezer based on how long you intend to store it.

Fry 0. Then add cooked okra to your recipe and there will be hardly any slime at all. Meaty Gumbo Advertisement. How you cook the okra is also important. As mentioned, cooking it at high heat helps eliminate a lot of the slime. Make sure the okra is completely dry before cooking it. Okra can be grilled on a grill pan or an outdoor grill. Just toss the pods in a bit of oil and your favorite seasonings, and then grill them for about 10 minutes until slightly charred.

Fried okra is a popular dish that is crispy and delicious. Coat the okra with seasoned flour or cornmeal. They can be fried whole or in slices. You need to saute it long enough for any slime to cook out, about minutes. Dry roasting okra makes them taste nutty, grassy and slightly sweet. Small pods can be roasted whole while larger ones can be sliced in half lengthwise.

Roast them at degrees for about minutes. A delicious recipe to try is this Crispy Spiced Cauliflower and Okra. Creole Okra Corn Soup. The taste of okra is mild and slightly grassy. A popular way to cook it is with onions and tomatoes. The acidity in tomatoes also helps reduce slime. Adding lemon or lime juice while cooking will also help cut the slime.

Okra goes well with bold spices such as cayenne pepper, cumin, and chile. See my recipe for Bhindi Masala which has okra cooked with onions, chili peppers, and tons of warm, fragrant Indian spices. This Creole Okra Corn Soup has tomatoes, smoked paprika, and cayenne for tons of delicious flavor. With the right prepping and cooking methods, okra is a delicious and healthy veggie that deserves some love.