Easy to Grow and cook, Okra

Okra, a plant native to Africa is the perfect summer crop for Central Texas vegetable gardens. It is drought and heat tolerant and while it can grow in milder climates with limited success, it loves the south’s hot temperatures. It is actually one of the most heat tolerant vegetable species in the world and tolerates heavy, clay soils and intermittent water. Many northern gardeners are envious of our okra-growing superpowers, and with it’s gorgeous hibiscus-like flowers blooming on 6’ stalks, it practically begs to be grown in a southern garden. 

Ladies fingers, gombo and bhindi are all names for okra which is a member of the mallow family. It’s a close relative of cotton, cacao and hibiscus. Okra made its way to North America from African slave ships by way of Brazil and French Guinea, ending up in French Louisiana by the 1700s . Other crops from Africa like black eyed peas and lima beans were also a result of the slave trade. These foods became staples in Cajun and Creole cooking, a testament to the rich African heritage in Southern cuisine.The mucilaginous quality of the okra (slime), which some people dislike,  is prized for thickening stews and gumbo. Okra is also cultivated in Asia and India and is used in regional cuisine there as well. 

In Texas, okra can be planted in late spring when the soil has warmed to at least 70 degrees  and again in summer for a fall crop. Okra has a long tap root and needs to be grown in deep, loose soil. Before planting seeds, loosen the soil with a turning fork or shovel and add compost to the area. Plant seeds about 4” apart in rows that are 3’ apart. The seedlings need ample water to germinate. Once the seedlings emerge, thin the plants to every 12”. These plants grow tall stalks with large leaves that really take off in warm weather. The flower blooms about 60 days after planting and a few days later the fruit (pods) appear. As for pests and diseases of okra, the biggest threat is cool weather. Even a slight frost will knock out a crop, so make sure you don’t plant your seeds too late into summer. You will probably notice small, black ants climbing up the plants to get to the nectar in the flower. This is usually not a problem however fire ants can damage flowers causing them to abort fruiting. Once the flowers develop fruit, check the size of the fruit daily and harvest it when the pods are about 3” long. Any larger and they begin to get too tough to eat. The more you harvest, the more fruit the plant will set. At this point, the plant is quite drought-tolerant but more frequent watering will yield more fruit. To harvest, either snap the pods off at their tender stems or use a harvest knife to remove them from the stalk. Most okra varieties have fuzzy spines on the pods that can cause skin irritation when harvesting so wear a glove and long sleeves when harvesting. The most widely planted variety is ‘Clemson Spineless’ and features a spine-free pod. Another interesting variety is ‘Burgundy’ which produces a pod with a dark red hue. The pod, however, turns green when heated during cooking. Saving the seeds for planting next year is very easy with okra as long as you are growing plants of the same variety. At the end of the season, simply leave some of the pods of the most drought-tolerant plant on the plant until they get very large. Remove them and let them dry (they may even dry while still on the plant). Once dry, the seeds will easily come out of the pod. Save them in a cool, dry place and plant next year. 

There are many ways to cook okra, but for many of the kids that I have worked with in gardens, eating it raw is actually their favorite way! Maybe all things just taste better standing in a garden eating the fruits of your labor, but try some raw this summer. If you are not a fan of the slimy okra, cooking it with acidic tomatoes reduces the mucilage . Of course you can always fry it too! Another technique that produces a slime-free okra is whole roasting it. Since it is not cut, it doesn’t produce the mucilage. This simple way also highlights the flavor of the okra. The following roasted okra recipe with accompanying dipping sauce is from Mackenzie Smith Kelley, a photographer, recipe developer and creative consultant. Her work focuses on the stories that connect and sustain us, especially through food. Mackenzie is also the editor and co-founder of The World in a Pocket, an online project dedicated to exploring the world through the lens of a dumpling and other pockets, or food inside of food. 

Garlic Chive & Kale Sauce with Yogurt & Tahini

I keep some form of green sauce made of blended herbs and greens in our kitchen at all times. It’s great for dipping, dressings, and a savory drizzle of brightness on eggs, pasta, or fish. Right now our herb garden is overflowing with garlic chives, aka Asian or Chinese chives, perennials that grow in abundance year round here in Texas. We have a robust dill plant for a few more weeks, so this week’s creamy green sauce is made with garlic chives and dill, yogurt, lemon and tahini, a sesame paste used in Middle Eastern, Mediteranean and North African cuisine for centuries. If you don’t have garlic chives on hand, use a clove of garlic and ¾ cup of parsley or cilantro instead. This zippy, creamy dip is the perfect pairing for crispy roasted okra. 

1 cup plain full fat yogurt

4 tablespoons tahini 

Juice & zest of one lemon

1 tsp honey

¾ cup garlic chives, roughly chopped

¼ cup dill, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon salt (more to taste) 

Add all ingredients to the blender, in the order listed above -- adding liquid first will make for an easier blend. Salt to taste. 

Crispy Roasted Okra

I love okra any way it comes (so long as the slime isn’t a factor), but roasting it to a crisp with a generous drizzle pour of olive oil and salt is my favorite way to enjoy this historic vegetable. This  recipe works best with young okra no longer than 3, maybe 4 inches -- any bigger and the husk is too fibrous to eat comfortably.

1 pound okra, trimmed

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt 

Preheat oven to 450. 

Wash and dry okra on a towel. Make sure okra is completely dry before trimming, as any excess moisture will slow the browning process. If okra is more than a few days old, trim the stems, removing the part that looks like it has dried. If okra is just picked, you wont need to trim the stems, as they are fresh enough to crisp in the oven without getting tough. 

Cut okra lengthwise, and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt. Place okra on a sheet pan, leaving about a half-inch of breathing room between each slice, which allows okra to crisp as it cooks (you’ll need at least two sheet pans for a pound of okra). 

Place in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, then open the oven and stir the okra. Roast for another 15 minutes, then check in. If the okra is golden brown and crispy, it’s ready. If it has started to brown, but it isn’t crispy, place back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Cook until crisp.