You asked: How do I cook large okra?

Or, slit the pods down the side and stuff them with a bit of cheese or spicy meat mixture (an Indian mixture like kheema would be delicious) and bake at 350 F to 375 F, covered, until everything is wonderfully tender. Continue cooking uncovered until your stuffed okra and add-ons are nicely brown.

What do you do with overgrown okra?

When you find pods that are just too old or too big to really be edible, leave them alone and let them dry out. The pods should be brown and starting to open; at that point, remove them from the plant, slice them open and remove the seeds.

How do you cook okra so it is not slimy?

A second trick for reducing sliminess is to soak the okra in vinegar for half an hour before cooking it. Rinse it and pat dry before cooking. Finally, you can pre-cook okra at very high heat by sautéing, roasting, blanching or grilling. Then add cooked okra to your recipe and there will be hardly any slime at all.

Why is my okra so hard?

long. If you leave them too long, the pods get hard and woody. Once you’re done picking okra, store them in plastic bags in your refrigerator where they will last about a week or freeze the pods if you have too much to use. Just remember that harvesting okra needs to be done often.

How do you know if okra is tough?

When the stem is difficult to cut, the pod is probably too old to use. The large pods rapidly become tough and woody. The plants grow and bear until frost, which quickly blackens and kills them. Four or five plants produce enough okra for most families unless you wish to can or freeze some for winter use.

How long should Okra be cooked?

Place okra in a saucepan; add enough water to cover the okra and salt to taste; bring the water to boil. Cover the pan and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until the okra is tender. Drain well and, if desired, toss with a little butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Can you eat raw okra?

Okra deserves more. The entire okra plant is edible. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like any other greens. Okra pods can even be eaten raw.

What is the slime in okra?

Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that okra can get slimy. The so-called slime is something called mucilage, which comes from sugar residue and is great for, say, thickening gumbo, but not great when you’re biting into a piece of sautéed okra and averse to that viscous texture.

Do you need to wash okra before cooking?

It’s important to wash Okra, irrespective of what anyone says to you to get rid of any dirt or chemicals still stuck to the skin. But what’s more important is to dry it well before cooking. Wash uncut Okra under running water, and then pat it dry with a cloth towel before cutting.

How do you thaw frozen okra?

How do you thaw frozen okra? To thaw the frozen okra , put it in a microwave and stir periodically. It can be also be thawed by placing them in a skillet over medium-low heat.

How often should I water okra?

Keep the plants well watered throughout the summer months; 1 inch of water per week is ideal, but use more if you are in a hot, arid region. After the first harvest, remove the lower leaves to help speed up production.

What causes okra pods to curl?

Troubles and Solutions: Curled or crooked pods are usually caused by insects like stink bugs. Control with citrus sprays. Will not germinate in cool soil. … Nematodes are controlled by tilling orange, grapefruit, and other citrus pulp into the soil before planting the seed.

How much okra does a plant produce?

How much okra can you get from one plant? If your okra plants have ideal conditions, they can produce 20 – 30+ pods per plant. In a warmer hardiness zone such as zone 9b, you will have a longer growing season, into the fall or longer.

What happens if you eat bad okra?

When they go bad, the okra will be soft and slimy. If you notice this, it’s best to throw them out. If the okra has been stored in the fridge, it won’t go bad quickly. … Again, when okra goes bad, they will become soft and slimy but will have mold growing on them as well.

Is it OK to eat okra with black spots?

If you are buying your okra, look for small, green pods. If the pods have a lot of black and brown spots on them, pass them by.

How do you know if okra is good?

Tell if okra has gone bad by inspecting the firm green pods — if they’re soft, squishy, brown, throw them away. Be aware that depending on how it’s prepared, good okra may take on a slimy texture when cooked, but this doesn’t indicate spoilage.