 (Summer-Fall) Okra is a small green vegetable pod, elongated in shape, which contains numerous seeds which release a sticky substance when cooked. Okra is commonly used as a thickener for soups and stews. It is an important ingredient in making gumbo but is also used in other dishes such as soups, stews, vegetable and meat dishes, or salads where it may be boiled, steamed, braised, sautéed, or fried.
If cooked in a metal pot, it will turn black, so use porcelain, glass, clay, or enamel pans when preparing this tasty vegetable.
from Rebecca Wood's The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia |
