Okra can be an unknown plant to many all around the world. Although the wide belief is that okra is a vegetable, it actually is a fruit. Many regions claim the origin of okra as their own such as Ethiopia, Southeast Asia, and West Africa. The plant itself loves hot and humid weather which means that only climates with high temperatures are ideal for their production. These climate zones include warm temperate zone, subtropical and tropical.
Okra is also referred to as lady’s fingers due to its long shape and finger-like figure. Okra’s texture can be described as slimy that sometimes pushes people away. Although this can be undesirable for people, it helps the plant to be easy on cooking it such as frying or roasting it. It contains white seeds on the inside. It can be used in several ways such as boiling, roasting, and frying or added to different soups. But what does okra taste like?
Ways To Cook Okra And The Way They Taste
Okra Benefits for Your Body
There are several okra benefits that you can get for your body simply by eating it. It has a lot of vitamin C which contributes to a better immune system. Okra also has proteins and fibers which make our muscles strong and improve our overall strength. It contains low amounts of calories which makes it beneficial for us. Okra is also rich in vitamin K which helps our blood to be healthy and helps the process of blood clotting.
Okra provides antioxidants to our body which helps destroying the harmful molecules. It can also maintain the health of our brain and heart by providing us polyphenols. Okra is composed of a material that is called mucilage which prevents cholesterol to remain in our body. These together help our bodies remain healthy and our immune system to be strong.
In many places of the world, people has started drinking the water of okra. This also has a huge advantage for your skin since it hydrates it. Although studies are undergoing, okra water is thought to have a benefit in minimizing the symptoms of diabetes.
Okra Flavor Profile
People are reluctant to try okra due to its outside look. The slimy external look coupled with small hairs on the plant makes it unattractive for people. Additionally, it may appear in two colors, red or green. These two colors and the long shape of the plant pushes people away and makes the plant seem inedible. Contrary to these, the okra flavor profile is rich and beneficial for our body.
If people chose to it, they can prepare it in multiple ways. If you choose to cook it mildly, its taste will resemble to that of grass’ taste. However, when people prepare it properly, its taste is described as mild. Some people say that the taste of okra reminds them of eggplant’s taste. The texture of the cooked okra will be tender when we eat it. Also, the sliminess of the okra will remain even after the cooking.
The main advantage of cooking okra is that you can cook it with many other things. Okra’s taste will change and adapt to different ingredients that are cooked together with it. This can make the whole dish tastier. If even after cooking, one does not find the flavor of okra desirable, they can add many sauces or dressings to it.
Okra Recipes: How can we eat it?
There are many ways in which you can prepare okra. You have a lot of okra recipes that you can follow to make okra delicious. If you think you do not like okra, you can taste them in different recipes and I am sure you are going to find one that you like. There are several recipes that you can prepare quickly even if you do not have much time.
You can prepare okra in a grilled way. This is an amazing side food for a grill party or even to mix it with other components. Grilled okra does not contain much sliminess so it is ideal for those people who hate the slimy exterior of okra. Additionally, when grilled, it becomes a little crunchy which makes it very fun to eat.
Another way to prepare okra for eating is to roast them. This means that you will prepare okra in an oven with high temperature. In this way of preparing it, you should be careful to not overcook it so that okra does not lose its texture and appearance. Here, too, you can mix it with different other vegetables such as onions which will add a great flavor to it.
For all of those who love pickles, you can also prepare okra as pickles. This will help you have okra around even after the hot season is behind you. When you pickle them, you can add herbs and spices the way you want to.
You can also prepare okra in a fried way. This is very delicious since it adds an exterior coating made of cornmeal. This will add a crispy feature to it which can also be eaten as a snack. Additionally, you can eat it with different sauces or dressings.
So, many people commonly ask: what does okra taste like? The answer should always advise people to try all these different ways to prepare okra.
Conclusion
Okra is a plant full of nutrients and vitamins that has positive outcomes on our body and overall health. Its preferred temperatures are hot and humid thus it can only be produced throughout the warm periods of the year. It is widespread in many regions of the world but mainly in Southeast Asia, specifically in India. Many dishes are prepared with okra. There are people, however, that have never tried okra or do not want to try it due to its unappealing image. However, you have to try different dishes that uses okra to get the answer to this question: what does okra taste like?
People use okra due to its many health benefits such as providing vitamins C, vitamin K, antioxidants, proteins and others. Also, you can prepare it in many ways and also mix it with other vegetables and plants that make it very delicious. You can roast, fry, grill or pickle okra and each of these make okra taste differently.
