Where is okra eaten

It requires no stretch of the imagination to suppose that the plant earlier was taken from Ethiopia to Arabia across the narrow Red Sea or the narrower strait at its southern end. From Arabia okra was spread over North Africa, completely around the Mediterranean, and eastward. The absence of any ancient Indian names for it suggests that it reached India after the beginning of the Christian Era.

Although the plant has been well known in India for a long time, it is not found wild there. Modern travelers have found okra growing truly wild, however, along the White Nile and elsewhere in the upper Nile country as well as in Ethiopia. One of the earliest accounts of okra is by a Spanish Moor who visited Egypt in He described the plant in detail, as cultivated by the Egyptians, and stated that the pods when young and tender were eaten with meal. Southerners in our own country know how to cook it with corn meal-slice the pods, dip the pieces in meal, and fry them.

Because of the outstanding popularity of okra in the French cookery of Louisiana, and its slow gain in popularity elsewhere in this country, it is safe to assume that it was introduced to this country by the French colonists of Louisiana in the early 's. It had been introduced to the New World, however, before , reaching Brazil supposedly from Africa.

It was known in Surinam in Strangely, records of okra during early American colonial times are lacking, although it must have been common among French colonists. It was being grown as far north as Philadelphia in ; Jefferson said it was known in Virginia before , and from about onward numerous garden writers had something to say about it.

Here's a quick look at this unique vegetable's origins and how you can best incorporate it into your cooking. Okra is a member of the mallow family — related to cotton, hibiscus and hollyhock — and thrives in the warm summer climate of the South. A mature plant can reach six feet tall, and its flowers are a light yellow, resembling a hibiscus or hollyhock. Each plant can produce one or two edible okra pods per day.

Mature seed pods tend to be between four to five inches long, although they can grow up to 10 inches in length, becoming tougher and less edible along the way. The younger pods are tender and sweet in flavor, which some compare to a green bean, eggplant or asparagus. Okra is planted once the threat of frost has passed and the soil temperature has warmed to at least 65 degrees. If you want to get a jump-start or live in a colder climate, gardeners can plant okra in pots four to six weeks before the final frost.

Plant in full sun, and sow seeds an inch deep and about four inches apart. Once they germinate, thin out the plants to about inches apart. You can also transplant extra seedlings or give them to a friend. The origin of okra is unclear. Wild plants have been found growing in the upper Nile region, as well as in Ethiopia. Its hibiscus-like flowers inspired its original scientific name Hibiscus esculentus , but botanists later renamed it.

It's a good source of vitamin C and fiber, as well as glutathione, an antioxidant with anticarcinogenic properties. Not all varieties have those sharp hairs on the outside of the pods, but if present, their sting can be quickly neutralized by hot water.

Dredged in egg and cornmeal and fried to a golden crisp, it's a " simple Southern classic. Gumbo, of course. Try it with seafood , chicken and sausage , or no meat at all ; there are a zillion recipes out there. If you're short on time, see Cooking for Engineers ' version. It can be simply flavored with olive oil, salt and pepper, or smothered with spices. Maybe, like Cooking Books blogger Andrea promises, this spicy version will make an okra believer out of me yet.