Well-loved in the South and underappreciated elsewhere, okra is a green—or sometimes purple or crimson—pod with little round white seeds inside. Its polarizing sliminess also makes it useful for thickening stews.
Preparing: Rinse; cut off the stems. Chop or sliver okra before cooking if you like, but that releases the mucilaginous properties of okra’s interior. Large pods must be cut into rounds no more than 1/2 inch thick, or they’ll be too fibrous to enjoy.
Best cooking methods: cut or whole: deep-frying, sautéing, stewing (either gently or for a long time; in between is problematic); whole: roasting, grilling
When is it done? When tender and no longer viscous
Other vegetables you can use: green or wax beans, asparagus (these won’t have okra’s thickening power)
Plus: Smoked okra dip, grinding your own everything, and when to be concerned about PFAS This Week’s Marksisms Food with Mark Bittman: Klancy Miller / Jerusha Klemperer What you’ve come to know as our “traditional” interview is today with the writer and chef Klancy Miller, who is a prime example of a person who takes true joy in lifting up…
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