Check out the okra seeds and empty pods in front of our "okra totem" out in the Little Red Barn - this pile of seeds was a small part of the loot we have been sharing with friends - we had two large garbage bags of the pods before we removed the seeds. We should have an even bigger crop next season. We mostly pickled it with onions, carrots, peppers and garlic, but we cooked some. It grew so fast, it was hard to keep up with the picking. If you didn't pick the young pods when they were ready - they would be too large within hours. . .
I grew up in Arkansas, Texas and Missouri loving okra - the way I loved it prepared was to have it cut into "wheels", then breaded with cornmeal, salted and peppered, and deep fried.
The scientific name for okra is "Abelmoschus esculentus" - also it has been labeled as, "Hibiscus esculentus", not only because it looks exactly like the hibiscus; but it is of the Malvaceae or mallow family along with cotton, hollyhock, rose of Sharon - and, the hibiscus
It is known by many names.
When I was in India back in the early 70's it was called Lady Fingers or Bhindi. To this day, I judge Indian restaurants by whether they have a good Bhindi Bharta on the menu or not - (not to be confused with baingan bharta, which is eggplant).
The list of names grows, depending on what part of the world you are referencing: Gombo, Okro, Ochro, Okoro, Quimgombo, Kopi Arab, Kacang Bendi, Bhindi (India, as well as in other parts of S. Asia), Bendi (Malaysia), Bamia, Bamya or Bamieh (middle east).
It is called Gumbo (so I am told, here in some parts of the Southern USA). And, of course, here in SWLA, gumbo is a big deal with or without okra. Apparently "Gumbo" is Swahili for okra. In Portugal and Angola, okra is known as Quiabo (or the plural: Quiabos), and in Cuba, it's "Quimbombo". In Japan it is known as Okura, in Taiwan it's called "Qiu Kui" (pronounced cheeoh kway), and I understand that Qui Kui is the Mandarin Chinese word for it in Taiwan.
Whatever you call it, I look forward to exploring new OKRA recipes next year. And, for those of you living close by, Christy and I are happy to share the loot of okra seeds. We have more than enough for next season.
I call some of those seeds!
ReplyDeleteEvidently, the base of gumbo was originally browned okra. Back then people ate gumbo only in the summer, as that was when okra was available. The roux base is new stuff- when people decided they'd like to have gumbo in "gumbo weather." I'd love to learn how to make it the old way.
My mom cooked down her okra for gumbo so well with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic before freezing it; that it was already delicious smothered okra when she put it up. Yumm. Okra and tasso gumbo like she made was the best.
ReplyDeleteYou got 'em, Pudd.
ReplyDelete