How to cook okra. Annual plant okra (okra or gombo)

Okra (in other words - okra, gombo, ladies' fingers) is a little-known product in Russia. Our okra is mainly sold frozen. Although the history of domestic gardening knows cases of cultivation of okra in middle lane Russia. For example, it is known that at the dawn of our century, okra was successfully grown in the Moscow region (Melikhovo) by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. Today, in Russia and in our south, gardeners-vegetable growers began to grow okra.

They usually eat unripe (three to six days old) fruit ovaries as soon as they reach 4-6 cm in length. Cut okra with scissors every 2-3 days, since overripe fruits are not tasty and lose their dietary properties. Okra is not stored for a long time, it can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 3-4 days and needs to be prepared quickly.

Okra cooking recipe

Okra is not only very useful, but also has a very habitual taste. Of course, the very concept of “Afghan cuisine” is already preparing us for surprises.

I will tell you how to cook okra according to the recipe. In order to prepare okra, you will need the following products.

Frozen okra - 1 pack, approximately 0.5 kg;
Onion - 1 large onion;
Garlic - 3 medium cloves;
Tomatoes - 3 medium pieces;
Water - 1.5 cups;
Coriander - 2 teaspoons;
Hot pepper - 2 teaspoons;
Salt - to taste.

How to cook okra - recipe

First, in order to cook okra, you need to peel and finely chop the onion, fry it in vegetable oil until golden brown.
Then chop finely pre-peeled fresh tomatoes, add them to the fried onions. Cook min. 5-10 until the water evaporates and the appearance yellow color, stirring frequently.
Then add finely chopped garlic and fry until fragrant.
When the okra fry is ready, put the okra, cut into 1-1.5 cm pieces, into the pan and mix.
Now you need to add spices for okra: coriander and hot dried pepper.
Salt and pour in 1 cup of water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the okra from burning. If the water has evaporated and the okra has begun to burn, you can add another half a glass of water.

AT ready-made the shape of the okra does not change, it retains its original shape. Ready okra is served on small plates along with rice or meat.

Okra is ideal as a side dish for lamb, fish. She is rich useful substances, including ascorbic acid and other vitamins. Its seeds contain up to 20% olive oil. It is noticed that okra helps to restore the depleted forces of the body. Due to the fact that okra pods are rich in mucous substances, they are valuable for patients peptic ulcer, as well as for those suffering from gastritis. A decoction of okra fruits is used for bronchitis.

Okra - quite valuable food product, although in our country this exotic vegetable and is not very common. Many people do not even know what it is and how it is eaten. But okra is very good for health. Therefore, it is worth learning more about it and taking note of some cooking recipes with step by step photos.

Okra: what is this vegetable?

Okra comes from the southern regions, but has become widespread throughout the world. And in various countries it is called by different names. Outwardly, this overseas vegetable resembles a pod, only its surface is, as it were, faceted and all covered with small hairs. And in taste fresh most of all it resembles, and in cooked - zucchini and green beans.

Attention! Only young, not fully ripened fruits up to about 10 cm long and not older than 5 days from the moment of setting are used for food.

With age, the pulp of okra coarsens, becomes too hard and unsuitable for eating. But the seeds of fully ripened pods can be used in a different way. Exotic lovers dry them, grind them and use them as a kind of coffee substitute.

Beneficial features

Okra contains many different valuable substances. It is also rich in coarse fiber, which is very useful for the body. This vegetable is dietary and is widely used by those who seek to lose weight and get rid of excess weight. It is useful for pregnant and lactating women, as it contains a lot of folic acid. beneficial effect has also on male body in case of problems with potency.

But the useful properties of the product are not limited to this. This vegetable is used for many diseases and for recuperation in the postoperative period. It has practically no contraindications for use, with the exception of individual intolerance to the product. Lowers sugar levels beneficial effect for various ailments digestive system, is used for the treatment of oncology and for the prevention of these diseases.

This exotic vegetable helps well with chronic fatigue, states of depression and severe physical exertion. It is also used for:

atherosclerosis;
various diseases respiratory tract;
some eye diseases.

Features of culinary processing and preparation of the product

Okra is very easy to prepare. But do not subject it to prolonged heat treatment. It only takes a few minutes to prepare. But it is advisable not to keep the product on fire for more than 20-25 minutes.

It is very important to pay attention to the preliminary culinary processing of the product. Fine hairs covering the skin need to be brushed off. If this is not done, the dish will be bitter. In addition, the villi on the surface of the vegetable can cause allergies in some people.

Advice. The hairs from the surface of the okra along with the skin will be much easier to remove if you pour boiling water over the vegetable.

You can cook many variety of dishes. It is suitable for canning, freezing, preparing snacks, side dishes, first courses. The product goes well with a variety of vegetables, cereals and seasonings, with various types meat, fish, seafood. During heat treatment, unless the okra is kept on fire, and when frozen, all its beneficial properties are preserved in the vegetable. The proposed recipes will help you get started with this overseas product.

Recipe with meat

Okra with meat is hearty meal and goes well with it as a side dish. boiled rice. For 1 kg of okra, you need to take 250 g of beef, a medium-sized onion, 1 hot pepper, a small package of tomato puree (you can replace tomato paste, only in a smaller volume, since this product is more concentrated), frying oil, salt and seasonings to taste.

Cooking:

Cut the meat into pieces, finely chop the onion, lightly fry these prepared foods together with pepper in oil in a pan, then salt and add spices. After frying, pepper can be removed so that the dish is not too spicy in taste, or left.
Pour the contents of the pan with water, bring to a boil and keep on fire for about half an hour.
Separately fry the okra, but not for long, but only until it becomes golden in color.
10 minutes before the meat is ready, add the fried okra and tomato puree or pasta. When it becomes soft and the puree begins to thicken, the dish will be ready. Serve with rice or other side dish.

Potatoes in pots

Okra goes well with various vegetables including potatoes. A dish baked in the oven will be not only tasty, but also healthy. For 500 g of okra, you will need 250 g of potatoes, a glass of tomato juice, 2 cloves of garlic, vegetable oil, salt and spices to taste.

Okra in section

Cooking:

Wash the okra, peel, then cut into circles or leave whole. After lightly fry the vegetables in oil.
Peel and cut potatoes in any preferred way. Finely chop the garlic (pass through a press). Mix potatoes with garlic. Mix tomato juice with salt and spices.
Okra and potatoes mixed with garlic, transfer to baking pots, pour over them tomato juice and place in the oven.
Install temperature regime at 180 degrees, bake the dish in the oven for about 30-40 minutes.
When ready, serve with fresh herbs and sour cream.

Garnish

This vegetable makes a great side dish. It can be used as a separate dish or served with meat or fish. To prepare such delicious and light side dish you will need 0.5 kg of okra, 3 medium tomatoes, 2 onion, any vegetable oil, about 100 ml of water, salt, seasonings to taste.

Okra fruits need to be washed and peeled. Then they can be chopped coarsely or cooked whole.
Remove skin from tomatoes. And to make it easier to do this, it is better to pour boiling water over them. Finely chop the tomatoes afterwards.
Chop the onion, fry in oil until it acquires a slightly golden hue.
Then add okra to the onion in the pan. Then, after 10 minutes, put the tomatoes in the same place, salt all this, add seasonings.
Stir the contents of the pan, pour in water and, after boiling, simmer for about 20 minutes for low fire without covering with a lid.
A ready-made side dish is served hot to the table.

Such an overseas vegetable as okra is not only an extremely healthy product, but also very tasty. It is quite easy to prepare, there are many interesting recipes. You can also come up with something of your own or take as a basis various recipes with other vegetables. And in order to preserve all its beneficial properties during cooking, it is advisable not to keep the okra on fire for too long.

Perhaps you have not heard of such a vegetable - okra? Well, of course, then the beneficial properties and contraindications of okra are Terra Incognita.

But judging by the numerous names, this plant is widely distributed among diet exotic lovers around the world. For example, the Indians call it okra, the Arabs call it bamya, the Africans call it okuru, and the US residents call it gombo. A somewhat playful name was given to okra in Cyprus - "ladies' fingers", apparently due to the special elongated shape of the fruit.

In the photo, we see that okra appears as a nondescript plant, somewhat reminiscent of a weed. However, knowledgeable people can tell a lot about unusual useful properties oh okra.

They say that at the beginning of the 20th century, the famous Russian writer and doctor Anton Chekhov cultivated this plant on his plot in the Moscow region. But he knew a lot about the benefits! Therefore, for Russians, this is not such an outlandish vegetable. Now there has been a kind of "renaissance" for this plant, because gardeners, nutritionists and culinary specialists are showing an active interest in it.

A nutritionist's dream

The fresh fruits of this vegetable are shaped like green pepper pods, but they have a “faceted” surface and are covered with short thin “hairs”, and the slices cut across look like stars. Here they are edible! At the same time, 100 grams of okra contains only 31 kcal - a nice bonus for those who watch their weight.

Useful properties of okra

Cooked okra dishes have healing properties if they are properly prepared. This "light" vegetable in the dietary plan can help the body cope with problems and recover from various diseases:

respiratory diseases, tonsillitis;
diseases of the digestive system and intestines, cholelithiasis, diabetes mellitus;
eye diseases, cataracts;
vascular disorders (atherosclerosis);
"male" problems with potency (due to the high content of manganese);
oncological diseases and predisposition to them (decoction is useful);
pregnancy, especially early dates, and breastfeeding ( great content folic acid);
postoperative rehabilitation period;
depression, chronic fatigue syndrome;
hypodynamia, heavy physical exertion.

Caution: For some people, this delicious and healthy vegetable can cause unexpected allergies, because enough strong allergen are the "hairs" covering the fruits of this plant. They must be removed before cooking by all means!

Features of culinary processing of okra

Okra is a vegetable that requires delicate preparation. Fresh, immature, bright green pods, 7-10 cm long, are best suited. The more mature the pod, the tougher it is. First of all, you need to clean it from “hairs” and “lint” (usually the pods are scalded and peeled), otherwise you may not like the cooked delicacies. The taste of cooked okra is reminiscent of zucchini and green beans, and fresh - eggplant or asparagus.
This unusual vegetable can be consumed raw, stewed, stewed, boiled or fried. Tasty salads and soups, as well as vegetable and meat stews, fish meals with okra. The only caveat is that it is important not to overexpose this delicate vegetable on fire, because it cooks in a few minutes, while retaining its beneficial properties.

Anyone who likes to store food for the future will appreciate the "lady fingers" in a pickled form. In Asia and Africa, this plant is also dried, and packages with frozen okra are often found on supermarket shelves. You can choose any storage method! It is important to fresh fruits do not stale, as they quickly deteriorate.

Tip: How to cook frozen okra? Clean washed pods should be blanched in boiling water for a minute, lowered into cold water and dry with a towel. Next, you need to cut the pods along. Fold the fruits prepared in this way into packing bags and send them to the freezer.

Pickled okra recipe:

To prepare 1 can of 1 liter, we need the following ingredients: okra pods - 200 g; garlic cloves - 2-5 pcs.; dill - 1 umbrella; black peppercorns -6 peas; Bay leaf- 2 pcs.; salt - 1 tbsp. l. without a slide (at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water); vinegar essence 80% - 1 tbsp. l.

Rinse the okra pods thoroughly, cut off the tails. Fill the sterilized jars with spices, carefully lay the fruits, it is better to cover the bottom with smaller pods, and lay the long ones tightly “standing”. You should not fill the jars under the very lid, since the liquid will naturally penetrate the fruits and about 3 cm at the neck will be free. Prepare the marinade at the rate of 1 tbsp. salt and 1 tbsp. vinegar essence for 1 liter of water, boil it and pour into jars. Then cover up those banks tin lids and sterilize for 10-15 minutes. (the fruits should turn a little yellow). If the liquid level has dropped, add the marinade. Roll up hot jars and put upside down, cover with a towel and leave for a day. Store the resulting delicacy in a basement or other cool, dark place.

Tip: What are the best seasonings to pair okra with? If the dish is cooked by stewing, then it delicate taste help keep butter and lemon juice. Onion, garlic, red pepper and tomatoes will add piquancy. The best companion spices are black pepper, ginger, curry, thyme, marjoram.

Culinary delights with okra

Kitchens different peoples world use it as base ingredient for delicious and healthy meals. For example, in Iranian and Egyptian cuisines there are recipes with okra and meat, and in India it is fried or marinated. Japanese cooks fry it in tempura and season it soy sauce.

Following are the recipes for making okra − simple meals that do not require special preparation.

Potatoes in pots (with okra)

Ingredients: okra - 0.5 kg, potatoes - 250 g, garlic - 2 cloves, tomato juice - 1 cup, vegetable oil for frying, salt, spices - to taste.

Lightly fry the prepared and peeled okra (you can use a frozen vegetable). Pass the garlic through a press, combine with potatoes (cut into small pieces to your taste). Mix tomato juice with spices and salt. Place okra and potatoes in pots, pour over tomato juice and place in a cold oven. Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes. Serve with herbs and sour cream.

Meat stew with okra

Ingredients: okra - 0.5 kg, meat pieces - 250 g, onion - 1 pc., garlic - 1 clove, canned tomatoes - 250 g, turmeric - 1 tablespoon, vegetable oil for frying, salt, other spices - taste.

Prepare okra (clean, wash, dry). Fry in thick-walled saucepan finely chopped onion, add meat, salt, spices. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add tomatoes and simmer covered for 40-50 minutes. After the meat becomes soft, add okra and simmer covered for another 15 minutes.

Vegetable stew with okra

Ingredients: okra - 0.5 kg, fresh tomatoes- 0.5 kg, onion - 1 pc., garlic - 3 cloves, canned tomatoes - 200 g, ground cumin (zira) - 0.25 tsp, lemon - 0.5 pcs., sugar - 0.5 tsp, cilantro greens - 3 tbsp, olive oil for frying, salt, other spices - to taste.

Fry in oil in a pan for 10 minutes. onion, garlic, half chopped cilantro. Add okra and fry for 3 more minutes. Then add tomatoes, spices and simmer the stew for about 30 minutes. over low heat, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cilantro when serving.

Okra is a wonderful product that is suitable for any meal - soup, salad, side dish, full dinner with meat, stew ...

About incredibly tasty and useful plant okra can learn more from the video:

All materials on the website Priroda-Znaet.ru are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any means, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!

Okra can be fried and stewed, added to soup, vegetable stew, use to thicken sauces. Her pods have mild taste, which many compare with the taste of eggplant. Lady fingers are low-carb foods and will be useful for those who follow a low-carb diet.

Many people do not cook okra due to the presence of mucus in it, which is released when the pod is cut and cooked. You can read how to remove this defect in this article:

Here you will find several delicious recipes cooking.

Okra with onions

You need:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion

450 grams of okra

100 ml water

0.25 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

How to cook

For frying, you can take any vegetable oil: olive, coconut, sunflower.

Wash the okra and cut off the ends. Cut into pieces about 2.5 cm.

In big cast iron pan Heat up the oil and fry the onion in it until golden brown.

Then add okra, add water and salt.

Cook for 5-10 minutes until the water has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

fried okra

Fried okra is a classic. The crispy crust makes the pods tasty and appetizing. You can fry whole or chopped okra.

An air fryer is ideal for frying, as it can be set and adjusted required temperature frying. A deep and wide pan will do.

Fried okra breaded

You will need:

450 grams of okra

About 250-300 grams of cornmeal (or semolina)

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper(or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon black ground pepper(or to taste)

Vegetable oil

Trim the ends of the okra pods. You can cut the pods into pieces.

In a bowl, beat eggs with 2 tablespoons of water.

In a second bowl, mix semolina or cornmeal with salt and pepper.

Heat a deep frying pan with oil to about 180-200 degrees.

Dip the okra in the egg and then roll in the flour.

Place in hot skillet with oil. Please note that you need to fry so much that the pods lie in one layer and do not touch each other.

Remove the fried okra (when brown and crispy) with a slotted spoon or tongs onto a plate lined with paper towels.

Advice. Eggs can be beaten with milk instead of water.

Fried okra with garlic

A very simple recipe. Fragrant, crunchy and not at all slimy okra.

You will need:

450-500 grams of okra

1-2 garlic cloves

2-3 teaspoons vegetable oil

How to cook

Prepare the pods: wash and dry.

Peel the garlic clove and cut it crosswise into as thin slices as possible.

Heat up a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil just enough to cover the bottom of the pot or pan.

Let it warm up a little and add the garlic. Fry it for about 1 minute.

Add okra pods, stir in garlic.

Cover and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until it turns brown.

Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with salt to taste.

As an option, you can:

Sprinkle with chopped green onions;

Drizzle with soy sauce or other sauce;

Add some cherry tomato;

Add ginger with garlic for flavor;

Sprinkle with mint or basil;

Mix chopped garlic with chopped fresh spicy pepper;

Pour freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Okra with tomatoes

a little sour taste The tomato adds some zest to the dish.

You will need:

650-700 grams of okra

1 medium onion

3 medium tomatoes (canned)

3 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1.5 teaspoons chili pepper (or to taste)

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

0.5 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

How to cook

Cut the prepared okra into pieces about 1.0-1.5 cm.

Peel and cut the onion

Chop the tomatoes and clean out the seeds. You can remove the skin if you wish.

Peel the garlic.

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Then season with chili, cumin seeds, cayenne pepper and, stirring, fry everything together for about half a minute.

Add okra and stir.

Then put the chopped tomatoes, salt and mix. If there is not enough moisture, add some water.

Reduce the heat, maintaining a constant steady boil, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour over lemon juice.

Advice. Small pods can be cooked whole.

Okra in the oven

Cooking okra in the oven reveals all of its best qualities and a pleasant nutty flavor. You can fry whole pods or cut into slices.

You will need:

450-500 grams of okra

3-4 stalks of green onions

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

0.5 teaspoon fine salt(or to taste)

How to cook

Preheat the oven to 200-220 degrees.

Wash and dry the okra. Cut in half lengthwise.

Wash and chop green onions.

In a large bowl, combine together the okra, chopped onion. Season with salt and sprinkle vegetable oil. Mix.

Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Cook until the edges of the okra turn brown. This takes approximately 25 minutes.

In the middle of baking, turn the pods over and the other side.

Serve hot or warm.

Grilled okra

Grilled or grilled, it can be a great summer snack.

What you need

450 grams of okra

1 onion (small)

4 garlic cloves

Chili pepper to taste (or spicy)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Prepare okra pods. Drizzle it with vegetable oil and stir until it is evenly coated with oil.

Place the grate on the grill grate. Put the pods on it.

Using tongs, brown it on all sides.

Remove from the grill. Season with salt and spices. You can drizzle with lemon juice if you like.

Fry the onion and garlic and sprinkle with okra.

Fried okra can be served with yogurt sauce, grilled tomatoes or eggplant.

Instead of lemon juice, you can pour balsamic vinegar or vinegar, flavored with herbs.

You can sprinkle with a mixture of spices, such as garam massala.

Okra in the microwave

Prepare the okra pods. Place them in a microwave safe bowl.

Add some water.

Cover with a lid and turn on the stove at the highest power for about 5-6 minutes.

Drain and season with salt and spices.

These are so light and simple recipes how to cook okra. She can become good addition to healthy eating and diversify the menu. Similarly, you can cook frozen okra. To do this, it is not necessary to completely defrost it.

Okra (okra) is a green pointed cone-shaped pod, distributed in warm climatic conditions (homeland - the area around the Nile in North Africa and the Middle East, more precisely - Ethiopia). Can be grown in cooler areas if special cultivation methods are used. Okra is related to hibiscus, cotton and cocoa.

During World War II, the lack of coffee forced the people of Asia and Africa to use okra seeds instead of coffee. This phenomenon is called "okra fever". Since then, okra can be found in local markets at any time of the year.

Today, this delicious vegetable is known and loved by gourmets from Texas all the way to Timbuktu.

Fresh okra pods contain a lot of nutrients: vitamins A, C, K, B6, as well as calcium, iron, thiamine, folate, potassium. This vegetable boasts high content protein and dietary fiber. In short, okra is a vegetarian's dream.

Eating okra is extremely beneficial for pregnant women due to the high concentration of folic acid, which is involved in the formation of the neural tube of the fetus during the first 4-12 weeks of pregnancy.

The plant mucus and dietary fiber of the okra fruit regulates blood sugar levels through its absorption in the small intestine. In general, okra is recommended to be eaten by people with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Okra promotes the secondary absorption of water, flushes out excess cholesterol, metabolic toxins and excess bile from the body, prevents constipation and bloating, and treats stomach ulcers. Okra promotes growth beneficial bacteria in the small intestine, called probiotics, which aid in the synthesis of vitamin B.

This is an ideal vegetable for those who dream of losing weight without harm to health (100 g of pods contain no more than 40 calories), as well as for people suffering from depression and chronic fatigue, it will help in the fight against pneumonia and sore throats, maintain joint mobility, and reduce asthma attacks. in asthmatics (due to the high concentration of antioxidants). Okra strengthens the walls of capillaries, good for diet food patients with atherosclerosis.

A number of scientific studies have confirmed that okra successfully prevents certain types of cancer (rectal cancer), reduces the risk of cataracts and diabetes.

So wide range The beneficial properties of okra led to the fact that scientists began comprehensive research on this vegetable, and today a number of successful experiments are being carried out to replace blood plasma. active ingredients isolated from bright green slimy pods.

Cosmetic properties

Historians say: many famous beauties of antiquity, Cleopatra from Egypt and Yang Guifei from China, loved to eat okra. Meanwhile, these green pods can also be used for purely cosmetic purposes.

For example, to strengthen the hair, give it a bright shine, you need to cut it into strips, boil it so that the brew becomes as slimy as possible. Then the mixture must be cooled, add a few drops of lemon juice and use as a hair balm. The extract added to the cosmetic cream prevents the skin from acne and unevenness.

How to choose and cook pods

To lose weight by summer, add okra to your diet.

When choosing, pay attention to appearance pods. They should be 7.5-10 cm long, bright green in color, with no moldy spots or dry patches.

They should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and only 2-3 days. Before use, each pod must be thoroughly rinsed with running water, and the tips removed.

Harmful properties and side effects

Large pods may have tiny stinging patches on the skin that soften after heat treatment, but when raw, can cause significant itching. Stock up on gloves!

Do not cook the dish in copper or cast iron cookware - a chemical reaction will occur that will worsen the appearance of the dish. The pods will turn an unpleasant dark brown color.

There is a lot of mucus in okra, so a drop of vinegar and other acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, should be added to dishes with its participation. These bright pods are good in salty and fried, deep-fried, they are added to rice dishes, curries and South Asian soups (for example, Gumbo soup).

Okra can be an excellent alternative even in this gourmet dish like ratatouille. As a seasoning, it is compatible with olive oil and lemon juice, as well as curry, marjoram, thyme and cayenne pepper.

In general, if you meet okra in a supermarket, be sure to buy it.