Originating from Africa, the word Okra, called Okwuru, may have sprouted from one of the Nigerian dialects in the Igbo language. The French call it "gumbo". In the Indian sub-continent, Bhindi, bheeda. The Arabic world, Afghanistan, Iran, and the Middle East all refer to it as Bamia/Bamya/Bamieh. The Egyptians refer to it as a stew with lamb, similar to our Parsi Bhida ma gos! It is also popular in the Far Eastern world, in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in particular.
Mostly eaten cooked, it can be consumed raw. Keeping it crisp has the maximum nutritional value. Crispy fried in tempura batter, it can be delicious. Try the same in a pakora batter. Stuffed Okras are a delicacy served at weddings in certain cultures!
I can just imagine those noses being turned up at this understated, happily avoided vegetable! If cooked right, they can be delicious. It's worth a shot, believe me.
People have always been clever enough to know which vegetables help prevent and cure certain ailments. Our wise ancestors seemed to have shared their knowledge and stayed healthy with the help of nature's bounty. In modern days, we are fortunate enough to find out the detailed analysis of everything. The DNA of a piece of vegetable is quite incredible. Broken down into minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, it can tell us exactly how it can help us maintain good health. What we take for granted and shrug away lightly on a daily basis, can essentially be our road to preventive medicine. This could work to our advantage as we learn more about this amazing pod.
Modern medicine is a privilege; with that comes a price we pay. Food and nutrition may not be able to stop an illness in its tracks, but it can certainly help us stay healthy and happy. Invest in your health. It is everything and more to enjoy life. "Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food." – Hippocrates
This long green pod of goodness grows on a small green stem. The okra itself can be short and stubby, long and fat or thin and crisp. Variations depend on the geography and the soil where it grows, when it is harvested and lots of other factors. It is part of the mallow family and is related to the cotton crop, hibiscus, and hollyhock plants. It is mostly a tropical plant grown in the heat of the summer.
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| The beautiful flower that blossoms on the Okra vegetable stem. It can be rather prickly with the thorns! |
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| Short and Stubby |
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| Young and Tender |
Additional health benefits include glowing skin. It can prevent pimples from popping up!
It is brilliant for nurturing the scalp. Including dandruff protection, it can help rejuvenate dry, listless hair in need of new life.
People living in India, the UK, and Canada regularly drink a glass of water soaked overnight with fresh Okra to help diabetics maintain their blood sugars.
Full of minerals and vitamins, it helps build strong bones, prevents osteoporosis and looks after the joints in general. The folate present in okra can help women keep healthy during pregnancy.
The plant is made of the outer green pod, the little white pearly beads inside, and the "top," which is the root of the pod. It is slightly furry on touch and can be hard and fibrous as it becomes older, yet sweet and crisp when picked early on. It is best eaten when young and tender. It contains a mucilaginous juice which gives it a slimy texture; a result only once touched by a knife! This slimy sensation is generally what turns people off from eating this vegetable. There are a number of ways to reduce or avoid that.
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| The sliced vegetable |
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| The slit vegetable Niloufer's Kitchen; Learn the art of eating!! Images from Google |
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