Today’s fun snack is all about raw okra! Okra tahini snacks.
Have you ever had okra?
My first memory of okra is from my high school years—I think. I was helping make dinner and grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables, popped them in a dish and cooked them in the microwave. When I pulled them out half way through the cooking time there was SLIME everywhere and I was so disgusted!
I thought the vegetables had gone bad, so I chucked them.
It wasn’t until years later, maybe just a few years ago, that I learned okra was the culprit and the vegetables were in fact, not bad.
My friend Yangling adds them to stir-fries and with a quick sauté they are excellent! When cooked they release a little bit of slime but it’s not too bad if you don’t overcook them.
They are also delicious in their natural state. Pretend okra is a carrot or celery stick and go from there.
A little bit about okra.
- referred to as ‘lady fingers’
- contains numerous edible circular seeds
- best flavor and texture between 1-3 inches
- high in fiber, vitamin c, and folate
- is mucilaginous
- light cooking or adding an acid (lemon juice, vinegar, etc) will prevent some of the slime
- from the mallow family
- may have originated in South Asia, Ethiopia, or South Africa
Today’s savory snack is quick and easy.
Okra Tahini Snacks
Calories: 101 - Fat: 7g - Fiber: 3g - Protein: 4g - Calcium: 10% - Zinc: 7% - Vitamin C: 19%
Ingredients
- 4 okra pods, sliced in half
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
- cayenne
- cumin
- lemon juice
Instructions
- Spread a small amount of tahini on each okra half, sprinkle with cumin and cayenne to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Do you also love okra? What is your favorite way to eat it? xoxo
P.s. I really love FYS’s Wed-Sat schedule but I’m not sure I’m feeling Monday and Tuesday. What do you think? Any suggestions or leave it random? As always thank you so much for reading!
I never saw the plant before. Thanks for posting.
You’re welcome! xo
Wow – I had no idea okra could be eaten raw – cool! This sounds delicious too!
My favorite (well, only) recipe is the one I got from my farm stand night manager (it runs 24/7 – is that cool or what!?) – when I saw okra last summer. He asked me what I was planning to do with them, and I sheepishly admitted that I had picked them up on a whim but had no idea what I was going to do – they just smelled so good! He explained this super simple prep; First you just peel and slice a few cloves of garlic to taste (I use a lot!), and get them sauteing gently in olive oil. Slice the okra into 1/2″ rounds and add to the pan (if you have a lot it is a good idea to do this before starting the garlic). Just before the okra is done – slightly tender with a little caramelization – throw in a tomato or two sliced in 6ths or 8ths depending on size, and heat through, then serve. Done – and oh so yummy! I had planned this for two meals but almost ate the whole batch at one sitting 😉
Thank you and your garlic okra sounds amazing!