During the summer I enjoyed many times okra from Union Square Green Market. Sometimes passers-by made comments to me while I was shopping Okra – How do you cook them, I don’t like slimy vegetables, …..
we (Japanese) eat okra because we appreciate the texture “slimy”. Sliminess correlates to healthfullness. Slimy texture comes from pectin, water soluble dietary fiber. It also comes from mucin. These properties help to reduce blood cholesterol, blood pressure, aid digestion and strength immune system. Since small we are fed by our mothers these information, so we accept sliminess very positive. Other food products which have slimy texture are natto fermented soybeans, nagaimo mountain yam, Kaiso sea vegetables,…
The best way to cook okra is “cook short period” in order not to produce too much sliminess in the prepared dishes. here are several ways how you can enjoy okra.
1. Blanch in salt added water for 10 seconds or so; then shock in ice cold water to cool; then slice thin (cutting surface shows beautiful star like shape) and toss gently with shoyu.
2. Coat with tempura batter and deep-fry in the heated oil until the outside is slightly golden.
3. THIS IS MY FAVORITE WAY: heat the skillet with a little olive oil until very hot. Add the okra into the skillet (no overlapping each other), sprinkle little salt over the okra and cook until the bottom side is lightly golden. Turn the okra over and cook until the other side is golden. It takes about 2-3 minutes in total.
Before cooking okra I rub them with little salt. This process removes tiny fuzzy hair which covers the surface of the vegetable. After rinsing off salt under cold running water I also remove the thin skin on the top neck part of the okra. You can see this in the photo. Here I have Blue Moon squid and my Spicy Miso Sauce. Here is the sauteed okra, Blue Moon squid with Spicy Miso Sauce served with corn, butter and shoyu rice. I may make this dish once more time before okra disappears from the market. I am blessed to be able to cook with seasons.