OKRA
(OH-kruh)
A
tall tropical Asian annual plant, the edible pods of which are
used in soups as a vegetable. Common clues: Creole veggie;
Gumbo thickener; Cajun staple; Stew pod; Gumbo ingredient; Pot
vegetable; Southern dish Crossword
puzzle frequency:
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health benefits of okra
So
few people eat okra (more radishes are grown in this country)
that it never even makes it onto the lists of Top 10 hated foods
~ Julia Reed
Raw
okra pods
Okra,
also called gumbo or lady fingers, is a plant grown for its
fibrous pods full of round, white seeds, which, when picked
young, are eaten as a vegetable. It was formerly considered a
species of Hibiscus. The word okra is of African origin. It is a
very popular vegetable in Brazil, where it is known as Quiabo. It
is also one of the most popular vegetables in late 20th century
Japanese cuisine.
Okra
was brought to the United States via the African slave trade
route, and flourished in the South. It can be grown throughout
the South and into the Southwest and will tolerate poor soils
(with heavy clay) and intermittent moisture; it only grows when
there is available water, but can survive severe drought
conditions in all but its seedling stage. Add the fact that few
garden pests show any interest in the plant, and you have a great
garden vegetable.
Okra
may be steamed until tender, either whole or sliced about 1/2
half inch thick. Okra can also be boiled with tomatoes or fried
in a cornmeal batter. Okra can also be the thickening agent in
gumbo; when cooked, it has the same mucilaginous properties as
nopales (the pads of the prickly pear). It can also be pickled.
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article is licensed under the GNU
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It uses material from the Wikipedia
article "Okra".
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