A green colored oblong shaped vegetable, tapering at the end with tiny seeds inside. It is also known as okra or gumbo. It is often used as an ingredient in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. The entire plant is edible and its leaves are usually eaten raw in salads.
Usage
Okra is consumed in different ways in varied cuisine. The cooking style differs from culture to culture. The pods have a mucilaginous feature that contains a soluble form of fiber. Sometimes adding an acidic ingredient like lemon juice, vinegar or tomatoes can help. The pods are slimmed thinly, but require a long cooking time for the mucilage to dissolve completely. The leaves of the okra plant are eaten raw in salads.
In India and Pakistani cuisine, okras are chopped and stir-fried along with spices and pickles. In the Caribbean islands, okra is eaten as a soup, made into sauce with other condiments and served along with stews.
Note: These tend to shrink due to moisture loss so keep them refrigerated. The peak season for okra is summer but it is available year round.
Nutritional Value
1. Lady's fingers are in high in dietary fiber that aids digestion.
2. A great antioxidant and a good source of calcium and potassium. It is known to control blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.
3. It is a low calorie vegetable with no saturated fats or cholesterol.
4. Okra also treats lung inflammation and is considered a summer heat treatment.
Did you know?
It is popularly believed that eating okra regularly increases one's intellectual ability.
Lady's finger can remain frozen up to 12 months.