Here they are... My first two okra pods! Yay! I bought two small okra plants at a local farmer's market this spring. They were only a $1.50 and the last remaining ones. How could I turn that down? My uncle had previously warned me against planting okra because the root system will, "make a mess of your garden!" For a $1.50, I figured that I'd just plant them somewhere where it didn't matter what the roots did. Later, I couldn't make up my mind where I wanted to plant them - okra bushes grow six to eight feet tall - so I put them in two smallish pots until I decided. I didn't expect them to start to to grow little "okrettes"!
The local farmers just don't grow enough okra to meet my okra appetite. Ha, ha! Actually, few farmers in the Delaware Valley grow okra. Those that do often pick them when they are too large and too mature. They are like lethal weapons when they get big! You need to pick them when they are small and tender - for okra. I love fried okra, okra and tomatoes, okra in gumbo, of course. I just love it. I can still see my grandmother frying up a mess of okra for me. Ah... I love the slime factor when you cook it, too. Some say you can minimize the goo by briefly cooking the pods whole. That's just not right. The slime is part of the process. Slice the okra and watch it rope when you cook it! Make the slime work for you as a thickening agent.
For those of you who might not know about okra... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra : "Okra (US /ˈoʊkrə/ or UK /ˈɒkrə/; Abelmoschus esculentus Moench), known in many English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, bhindi or gumbo, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world.[1]
... Okra is a popular health food due to its high fiber, vitamin C, and folate content. Okra is also known for being high in antioxidants. Okra is also a good source of calcium and potassium.[8]
Greenish-yellow edible okra oil is pressed from okra seeds; it has a pleasant taste and odor, and is high in unsaturated fats such as oleic acid and linoleic acid.[9] The oil content of some varieties of the seed can be quite high, about 40%. Oil yields from okra crops are also high. At 794 kg/ha, the yield was exceeded only by that of sunflower oil in one trial.[10] A 1920 study found that a sample contained 15% oil.[11] A 2009 study found okra oil suitable for use as a biofuel.[12]"
I laugh at the idea of okra as a biofuel.
Now for a link to one of my favorite okra recipes from Danno @ Nola Cuisine: http://www.nolacuisine.com/2006/09/04/okra-tomatoes-recipe/
You can make it vegetarian by leaving out the Tasso and using a chipotle pepper (in adobo) in its place and leave out the hot peppers. You get a nice spicy, smoked flavor this way. It's divine!