Okra is native to West Africa and from there spread to the other parts of the world largely during the days of slave trafficking. It is widely used in India, Africa and the Middle East. Outside the US it’s also called lady’s finger on account of its shape. It’s rich in vitamin A, Thiamin, B6, C, folic acid, riboflavin, calcium, zinc and dietary fiber. Following are a few tips to Buy good Okra and store them.
- It’s best to buy medium sized pods.
- Pick soft, fuzzy pods.
- Choose okra that’s bright green and those which are even-colored
- Pick okra that do not have bruises or scars on them
- Buy okra which is tender but at the same time not over ripe. For this break the tip of the pod. If it breaks easily it’s just rightly ripe.
- Alternatively gently try to puncture the skin of the okra with your nail. The okra may be too ripe if you cannot cut through with light pressure.
- Avoid purchasing limp pods.
- Keep okra fresh by storing them a paper bag in the fridge.
- Eat okra the day you buy it and have it as fresh as possible.
- Don’t wash the okra until just before cooking it. Storing okra wet will cause it to become slimy.
- After washing it dry it with a cloth before cooking it or else the water residue will make it slimy when you cook it.