Okra

[cherrypi]

NO!

But I still hold out some hope...

[Varmint]

Yesterday, I had mustard greens, collard greens, field peas, snap beans, sweet potatoes, boiled potatoes, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, corn, cabbage, but alas, no okra.    Summer will be here soon, thank god.

Oh, I also had barbecue, fried chicken, pork ribs, beef ribs, pork backbone, brunswick stew, chicken and pastry, hush puppies, two cakes and sweet potato pie.

And you still live?

Mr. & Mrs. Fat Guy and I visited a barbecue joint yesterday as part of his "research", and we sampled everything they had on the menu. Well, we didn't try the rice.

[lleechef]

Okra ROCKS, so YES!

[Mabelline]

Varmint, that's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!

[Sweet Willie]

No. Unless it's done right, i.e. no slime. But it so rarely is done right. So I'm back to "No."

agreed, NO

[geekdoc]

To any of the NO's I would say that I am sorry that they have never had the precious pod cooked properly. Drop by sometime and be awakened to the joy that is OKRA.

BTW, has anyone but me attended the Irmo SC Okra Strut, an annual event to celebrate the harvest, complete with a parade and queen?

In conclusion

YES

[Mayhaw Man]

My Favorite Sports Mascot

But then there are these guys-

[Maison Rustique]

Yes!

[FatTony]

Julienned, dusted with freshly ground garam masala and gram flour (amchoor if you can find it) and fried until crisp (but not too crisp): hell yeah

[SobaAddict70]

Without okra, there would be no Filipino food.

So there.

Soba

[Mayhaw Man]

Well, we have a whole new batch of people who I am SURE are eager to weigh in on this burning topic. I had a count going for a while, so now I will be forced to go in and figure it out again.

Remember, as you are voting "no" you are only showing how ignorant you really are. Pretty much you are showing that you are completely unadventurous and have no working taste buds in your mouth.

Go ahead and vote however you want, as we are running an honest poll here-just remember what you are saying about yourself if you are misguided enough to vote no.

[fyfas]

Count me as a Yea ! even though, all too often, what is served out ain't very good.

I like it as an essential ingredient (gumbos etc.) and by itself (stewed, deep-fried).

[Lone Star]

Yes, yes, yes! I'll take it in any way, shape or form.

[OPJK]

Yep.

[Aileen]

Definitely. Love it.

[DTBarton]

Big yes!

fried, gumbo, in stewed tomatoes, tempura (a local sushi place does this great).

It is the king of organic thickeners.

[fifi]

For some of the new folks, a little interesting eGullet history:

I think the "Okra Wars" started here. I don't think I need to restate my position on okra.

The action accelerated with my search for a crock pot. I was really particular about the decoration of said pot. This culminated in this classic post by mudpuppie here. There is some interesting discussion up-thread from that post.

The issue of okra has since permeated my relationship with Mayhaw Man, even though it is, otherwise, a warm and friendly relationship. To retain that warm relationship, I will refrain from criticizing his blatant lobbying for YES votes regarding this loathsome vegetable.

[Bernaise]

vile and viscous.

I try to aoid eating phlegm

[Smithy]

Ewwww! Nope. Not as I've tasted it, in this country or in Egypt. ("Bamya! It's good! Try it!" Blecch.)

I am utterly baffled that otherwise well-educated palates should be so misguided as to think a slimy mucilaginous mass could be good anywhere except in the compost, or as bearing grease. It looks like recently-salted garden slugs and I can think of few things less appetizing in appearance. However. I'll admit I've never had okra crispy, nor have I tried it in gumbo. The door is cracked open for a change of heart, maybe, someday.

[Pan]

Ewwww! Nope.  Not as I've tasted it[...]

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Brooks, should we disqualify people who haven't even given the pod a chance?

I don't think being squeamish is the same as trying something and not liking it. And in any case, okra doesn't have to come out mucilagineous. That depends on how it's cooked.

[NulloModo]

Hehe, I really don't get the okra hate. After all, there are lots of things which have a much more disgusting texture, like oysters, but are still regarded as tasty (I do enjoy oysters as well). And really, even if Okra can be a bit slimy when stewed, I don't notice it being any more gluey than any other stewed veggie.

There should be a national okra commission to counter the smear campaign ;). Hey, I wonder if Okra is nutritious at all...

[Pan]

Nullo, I actually really dislike raw oysters. Yuck! And I've liked okra since probably the first time I had some.

[highchef]

Yes. I don't think you NO people know how to cook it. Young okra smothered down with a little vinagar and a tablespoon or 2 of h2o will loose the threads. add tomatoes and sauteed trinity, some shrimp, smoked sausage and you'd never know it was ever slimy to begin with. It is all in the cooking people...the stuff is good.

so. YES

[Susan G]

Hell no.

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Couldn't have said it better myself. (Transplanted Yankee).

[Susan G]

Remember, as you are voting "no" you are only showing how ignorant you really are. Pretty much you are showing that you are completely unadventurous and have no working taste buds in your mouth.

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