Okra

Fruits of okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus )

The okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus ), also vegetables Marshmallow, quiabo (Brazil), ladyfingers or bhindi ( South Asia ), quimbombó (Cuba) and bamya ( Arab countries, Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Bosnia ) called, is a species of of the mallow family.

It is one from the highlands of East Africa (more precisely, from Ethiopia ) derived vegetable.

Description

The shrub reaches stature heights of up to 2.50 meters. It has serrated leaves and large yellow flowers. The fruit capsules, colloquially " pods " are 10 to 20 inches long. Their shells are bright to dark green with a fine down. In the mostly pentagonal in cross-section fruits are white seeds.

As with all representatives of the subfamily Malvoideae the many stamens are fused into a tube surrounding the stamp, the so-called Columna.

Use in the kitchen

The okra is one of the oldest vegetables. It has been cultivated for at least 3000 years ago by the Egyptians on the banks of the Nile, but it is probably already cultivated for 4000 years. Today it is widely used as a vegetable plant almost all over the world. In the U.S. it reached for example in connection with the slave trade. The word " okra " is borrowed from a West African language, probably the Igbo or Akan.

The main producing countries are India, Pakistan and Nigeria. The low calorie and taste of green beans ( green beans ) reminiscent of okra pods are eaten as a vegetable. It is used mainly in the Arab, African and Asian countries, but also in the northeast of Brazil, the southern United States, the Caribbean, Turkey and Greece very popular. It is used for example in a Creole stew, the gumbo, but can also be served as a normal vegetable or eaten raw. The taste is almost neutral, mild to harsh.

When cooking, the pod makes a slimy substance that is suitable for thickening foods. If you have no interest or you would even give up the slimy substance, you can see the okra either five minutes in vinegar water blanch (previously cut tip and remove the stalks ) and then rinse with cold water or before the processing 1-2 hours all in cold lemon water.

Dried okra pieces are also used for binding stews or sauces, by making them easy to cook yourself.

The ripe seeds of the fruit can be eaten roasted or used as a coffee substitute.