The mystery of Okra

Okra is something you see in the vegetable section at the supermarket, but one of those vegetables you bypass because you are never fully sure how to cook it, or what it taste like. Am I right? Well in today’s post, I hope to enlighten you, to not only to it huge nutritious value, but also different ways you can incorporate it into your menu.

Okra commonly known as Lady Fingers or Gumbo.  In Hindi – Bhindi. 

Okra’s Nutritional Value

It is high in fibre, vitamins A, B6, C, K and folic acid. Also a good source of important minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium.  Okra provides just 30 calories per 100 g so great for weight reduction with no saturated fats or cholesterol, and on the other side great nutritional value during pregnancy. 

Preparing and cooking Okra

Choose Okra that looks crispy, avoid those with over-ripen, sunken appearance, discoloured spots, cuts and mushy. Choose stems that snap cleanly and do not bend.

 Wash the pods thoroughly in the cold water in order to remove dirt, soil. Many people are put off by the slim when the Okra is cooked.  To minimize the sliminess keep the okra intact and brief cook, for example stir-frying, helps to achieve this. Cooking with a few drops of lemon juice, tomatoes, or vinegar also helps. Alternatively, slice thinly and cooked for a long time.

Other methods of cooking Okra are, chopped or sliced they can be stewed or fried.  Mix with other vegetables, rice, fish or meat.

Here are a few okra recipes I will be posting soon.