October Veggie of the Month: Okra
Benefits:
- High in vitamin C and K
- High in antipoxidants
- May reduce risk of heart disease
- Healthy pregnancy- high in folate, which is essential for fetal development
Recipes
Okra Curry
Ingredients:
- ½ lb okra / vendakka about 20
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ large red onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 3 Thai green chillies slit in half lengthwise
- 1 large tomato sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 can coconut milk
- salt to taste
Instructions:
- Wash and pat dry the okra. Drying the okra is very important to make sure it is not slimy.
- Trim the ends and cut the okra into 1 or 1 ½ inch pieces.
- Heat 2 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a skillet and sauté the okra till it gets a little brown and crispy on the sides. Remove and keep aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the sauté pan and add sliced onions, minced ginger and Thai green chillies to it. Sauté till onions soften.
- Add sliced tomatoes, spices and salt and cook till they soften.
- Once the tomatoes have softened, add the okra and mix well, gently. 7. Add the coconut milk, mix and let it simmer for 3-5 mins for the curry to come together.
Okra Succotash
Ingredients:
- 10 ounces fresh or frozen baby lima beans (2 cups)
- 4 center-cut bacon slices
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion (from 1 small onion)
- 4 ounces fresh okra, cut into ½-inch-thick slices (1 cup)
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped (1 tsp.)
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels (4 ears)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (1 cup)
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Instructions:
- Cook lima beans: Place lima beans in a medium saucepan, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce to medium-low, and simmer until beans are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Cook bacon: While beans simmer, place bacon slices in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Cook until crisp, about 8 minutes, turning once after 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels; crumble and set aside. Reserve drippings in skillet.
- Sauté the veggies:
- Add chopped onion, fresh okra, and garlic to skillet over medium, and cook, stirring often, until onion is just tender, about 6 minutes.
- Stir in fresh corn kernels, salt, pepper, and drained beans, and cook, stirring often, until corn is tender and bright yellow, 5 to 6 minutes. Add butter, and cook, stirring constantly, until butter is melted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and sliced basil; sprinkle with crumbled bacon, and serve immediately.
Spicy Okra
Ingredients:
- 1 lb okra
- 1 oz firm tofu mashed
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 3 Thai chiles chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
- a splash of toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup of water
- neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
Instructions:
- Prepare the sauce: Place soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil in a bowl and whisk to combine. In another bowl, mix together cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Set both mixture aside.
- Prepare the okra: Wash and clean the okra. Prepare a bowl of cold water and set it aside.
- Fill half of the 5-quart or a big wok with water and bring to boil. Add a drizzle of oil and salt. Then, cook the okra for 2 minutes.
- Remove and transfer the okra to the cold water and let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then drain.
- Cut off the top and end of the okra and slice it in half or leave it as a whole.
- Arrange the prepared okra on a plate.
- Heat a small non-stick skillet with 2 teaspoons of oil. Then, sauté the mashed tofu until golden brown over medium heat. Push the tofu to the side of the pan, add a drizzle of oil then continue to sauté garlic and chile for a few more seconds until garlic is fragrant.
- Using low heat, add the sauces and cornstarch mix, then quickly stir to combine.
- Pour this sauce on top of the okra.
- Mix the sauces with okra before serving. This dish can be served at room temperature or as a cold dish.
Mediterranean Style Okra and Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped (1 cup chopped onion)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 small green chiles such as jalapeno chopped
- 1 lb frozen or fresh cut okra sliced into rounds (or small whole okra, trimmed)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup water
- 1 tomato sliced into rounds
- Juice of ½ lime more to your liking
Instructions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (or pan with a lid) over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic and chopped jalapeno peppers. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes stirring regularly (do not let the garlic burn, if needed adjust heat).
- Add the okra and sautee for 5 to 7 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Season with kosher salt, black pepper and spices. Toss to coat.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and water. Stir to combine. Add the tomato slices on top. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover most of the way (leave a little opening at the top). Let the okra simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the okra has softened. Uncover and add juice of ½ lime (more to your liking).
- Remove from heat and serve over rice or with warm pita bread.
