Okra

[fischwlu]

YES!

I always thought that there were 2 types of people, those who love okra and those who have never had it (many who do not even know what it is!). But I'm in Boston, where I asked a crowd once where I can get some Sweet Tea and they all asked, "What's sweet tea? You mean like Snapple?" So I just assumed people around here were just ignorant and never considered the possibility that if they tried it they wouldn't like it (gasp!).

[takomabaker]

Most definitely YES.

I grew up on it fried, or stewed with fresh corn off the cob and tomatoes.

I rediscovered later in life when I fell in love with Indian cuisine.

I recall a very funny story in the Washington Post's food section from several years ago. I don't remember the name of the Indian chef, but it was a woman who discussed adjusting to American cooking in an intereview. She was making tiramisu, and when the recipe called for ladyfingers she used okra, due to the fact that "ladyfinger" means okra in Indian recipes. She said she thought it was strange, but dutifully completed the recipe using okra when it called for ladyfingers. It was probably some very interesting tiramisu.

[rajsuman]

yes,yes,yes and YES! Love okra - in fact we had an okra stir-fry, chapathis and masoor dal for dinner tonight.

[Hiroyuki]

Yes fried, yes stewed with tomato, No plain boiled.

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Ditto for me.

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seriously?

does anyone actually cook / serve / eat plain boiled okra?

but why?

milagai

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I used to think this too, until I saw how the Japanese treat plain boiled okra. Basically, just blanch whole pods - definitely don't overcook. Eat cold, dipping one at a time into a sauce of your choice. In Japan, my friends make this with a thick sesame sauce.

It's good.

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I like mine with ponzu and topped with dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi).

And a big yes from a land of nebaneba (slimy) foods

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...750&hl=nebaneba

Have any of you thought about the health benefits of slimy foods?

[Chris Amirault]

Okra? Mais oui, mon frere Brooks.

All the finest people like okra, sure.

Is it true that people who don't like okra -- you know, think it's slimy, don't like stuff like that in their mouth -- also don't like sex? Just askin'! Don't kill the messenger!

[racheld]

Chris, you naughty boy.

You know that thing they used to tell little girls about eating their breadcrusts to make their hair curly. Well, you should hear what they tell little Southern boys about finishing their okra.

[MarketStEl]

Absolutely, positively, definitely yes.

Fried, in gumbo (which takes its name from the vegetable), and stewed, it's fabulous.

Just boiled, it needs a little something extra.

[Chris Amirault]

Chris, you naughty boy.

You know that thing they used to tell little girls about eating their breadcrusts to make their hair curly.    Well, you should hear what they tell little Southern boys about finishing their okra.

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There's a few jokes in here somewhere of the "spit or swallow" variety, but I'm too well-behaved to point that out.

[racheld]

I can't believe I let you bait me into that. I'm a MOM, for heaven's sake. I should know better.

[jackieg]

There's a few jokes in here somewhere of the "spit or swallow" variety, but I'm too well-behaved to point that out.

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I love okra, but it has never made me laugh before.

I love it fried, hot & salty

[divalasvegas]

YES

Fried in cornmeal (best fast food version is definitely Church's Fried Chicken's); okra and tomatoes; okra, corn, tomatoes, lima beans (yes, lima beans, damn it), onions, peppers, stewed together; in gumbo; plain stewed with butter, salt and pepper; okra and butter beans. And I love the slimey quality. Umm, slime.

And also I would love to try all of the preparations mentioned here that I haven't tried: pickled, Indian-style, Filipino-style, etc.

LONG LIVE OKRA.

[evongvisith]

Yes, yes, yes! Battered in cornmeal and deep-fried, in gumbo, and pickled, with a hot red pepper or two in the jar (I recommend Taste O' Texas brand.)

[tejon]

I've actually never tried okra. Raised in Southern California, I never came across the stuff in any form. So I reserve my answer until I have tasted some to form an opinion.

[anzu]

I've actually never tried okra. Raised in Southern California, I never came across the stuff in any form. So I reserve my answer until I have tasted some to form an opinion.

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Go to an Indian grocery store. Surely there must be at least one close to where you live? They'll have it fresh for sure.

[sabiha]

Another Yes from me

[MarkinHouston]

YES YES YES

fried (cornmeal batter, not flour), gumbo, stewed with tomatoes, onions, and garlic, and best of all, home-made hot okra pickles--Taste of Texas brand is too mild for my taste!

[browniebaker]

YES!!!!

[marlena spieler]

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!

In a perfect world everyone would love okra. and we could all eat together and have okra parties without worrying about anyone going: eeeeuuuuuuchhhhh.

i could do with a little okra gumbo right now, or some curried bamye....how an anyone not love okra?????

of course, i really don't like parsnips. so there you go.....

x marlena

Edited August 5, 2005 by marlena spieler (log)

[Dianne]

Yes absolutely. I have never had okra I didn't like, and I don't come from okra country.

[Mayhaw Man]

In a perfect world everyone would love okra.  and we could all eat together  and have okra parties without worrying about anyone going: eeeeuuuuuuchhhhh.

x marlena

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We can only continue to work together to make the world a better place and hope that someday...

What a wonderful world it would be.

[racheld]

In a perfect world everyone would love okra.  and we could all eat together  and have okra parties without worrying about anyone going: eeeeuuuuuuchhhhh.

x marlena

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We can only continue to work together to make the world a better place and hope that someday...

What a wonderful world it would be.

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Someday, all those eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww people will wake up and see CNN announcing that scientists have discovered that okra is a combination of Botox, Viagra and SlimFast, and what kind of parties will they throw THEN, HUH?

THEN we'll see who's been right all along.

Crispy, crispy little wheeeeels..........

[godito]

YES! and I live in Chile...

but yes with gumbo and yes fried. Can't get enough of that stuff

[Mayhaw Man]

Just for the record, I am making 24 quart jars of pickled okra today. Half of it hot, half of it sweet. I went to the farmers market this morning and there was a guy with a ton of finger sized okra. I have tons of things to do, but this seems to be more important at the moment.

There will be no photos this time, as the digital camera is somewhere South of Eagle Pass, TX with the wife and boys on a drive around the bordere.

Me? I'm stuck at home pickling okra in a very quiet house. You wanna know what bliss is? This is it.

[Varmint]

Just for the record, I am making 24 quart jars of pickled okra today. Half of it hot, half of it sweet. I went to the farmers market this morning and there was a guy with a ton of finger sized okra. I have tons of things to do, but this seems to be more important at the moment.

There will be no photos this time, as the digital camera is somewhere South of Eagle Pass, TX with the wife and boys on a drive around the bordere.

Me? I'm stuck at home pickling okra in a very quiet house. You wanna know what bliss is? This is it.

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And at least one jar of each will be headed to North Carolina in a month, I hope. And there will be plenty of additional okra cooking in North Carolina in a month. And I will be very happy in a month.

[Smithy]

Wish I could be there for that cotton-pickin' pig-pickin'. Meanwhile, I think I'll have to try the little fried wheeeels(!) With all this fuss, there must be something to the little slimy devil... but Egyptian bamya sure didn't cut it.