okra

     

Okra (American English: [ˈoʊkɹə], British English [ˈəʊkɹə], [ˈɒkɹə]), also known as lay's finger, bhindi (Hindustani) and gumbo, is a flowering plant in the mallow family (along with such species as cotton and cocoa) valued for its edible green fruits. Its scientific name is Abelmoschus esculentus.

Trivia about okra

  • In the South, this vegetable that thickens gumbo is also eaten fried
  • Used in Southern cooking, it's the edible pod seen here
  • Like gumbo, a stew called burgoo is traditionally thickened with this vegetable
  • This gumbo ingredient is popular in the Middle East, where it's known as bamia
  • In Barbados, you'll go cuckoo for cou-coo, a mix of cornmeal & this eesential gumbo veggie
  • This green pod, often a gumbo ingredient, is also called gumbo
  • The sliminess of this vegetable seen here in cross-section is what helps it to thicken soups & stews
  • A favorite is fritters made from this West African pod vegetable
  • Integral to many Creole dishes, this green pod is related to cotton & is high in calcium
  • When coated in cornmeal & fried, these green gumbo pods lose much of their sliminess
  • KR