Lady's finger-okra: an unusual vegetable for health and cooking

Perhaps you did not hear about such a vegetable - okra? Of course, then the useful properties and contraindications of okra are Terra Incognita.

But judging by the numerous names, this plant is widely distributed among fans of dietary exotics around the world. For example, the Indians call it okra, the Arabs - bamya, Africans - okuru, the inhabitants of the USA - gombo. A few playful names were given to okra in Cyprus - "lady's fingers", apparently because of the special elongated shape of the fruit.

Bamia is an edible annual from the Malvov family, reaching a height of 40 cm to two meters.

. In the photo, we see that okra appears as an ungainly plant, somewhat reminiscent of a weed. However, knowledgeable people can tell a lot about the unusually useful properties of okra.

It is claimed that as early as the beginning of the 20th century, a well-known Russian writer and doctor Anton Chekhov cultivated this plant on his plot near Moscow. But he knew the good of it! Therefore, for Russians it is not such an outlandish vegetable. Now there was a kind of "renaissance" for this plant, because active interest in it is shown by gardeners, nutritionists and culinary specialists.

The dream of a dietician

The fresh fruits of this vegetable resemble pods of green pepper, but they have a "faceted" surface and are covered with short, thin "hairs," and the cut pieces are in the form of asterisks. Here they are and are edible! At the same time, 100 grams of okra contain only 31 kcal - a pleasant bonus for those who watch their weight.

Useful properties of okiya

Cooked dishes from okra have healing properties, if they are properly cooked. This "light" in the diet plan can help the body cope with problems and recover from various diseases:

• respiratory disease, sore throat;
• diseases of the digestive system and intestines, cholelithiasis, diabetes mellitus;
• eye disease, cataract;
  
  
  
• vascular disorders( atherosclerosis);
• "male" problems with potency( due to the large content of manganese);
• oncological diseases and predisposition to them( a decoction is useful);
• pregnancy, especially in the early stages, and breast-feeding( high content of folic acid);
• postoperative rehabilitation period;
• depression, chronic fatigue syndrome;
• physical inactivity, heavy physical activity.

Caution: For some people, this tasty and healthy vegetable can cause an unexpected allergy, because a strong allergen is the "hairs" covering the fruits of this plant. They must be removed before cooking by all means!

Features of culinary processing of okra

Okra is a vegetable that requires delicate cooking. The best are fresh immature pods of bright green color 7-10 cm long. The more mature the pod, the harder it is. The first thing you need to clean it from the "hairs" and "nap"( usually the pods scald and peel), otherwise cooked delicacies may not like you. The taste of cooked okra resembles a zucchini and green string beans, and in fresh form - eggplant or asparagus.

This unusual vegetable can be eaten raw, stewed, allowed, boiled or fried. Tasty salads and soups, as well as vegetable and meat stews, fish dishes with okra. The only nuance - it is important not to overexpose this delicate vegetable on fire, because it is prepared in a few minutes, while retaining its useful properties.

The one who likes to store products for future use, will appreciate the "ladies' fingers" in marinated form. In Asian and African countries, this plant is also dried, and on the supermarket shelves there are often packs of frozen okra. You can choose any type of storage! It is important that fresh fruits do not lie, as they quickly deteriorate.

Tip: How to cook frozen okra? Clean washed pods should be problanshirovat in boiling water for a minute, put in cold water and dry with a towel. Next, you need to cut the pods along. Prepared in this way, the fruits are folded into packing bags and sent to a freezer.

A popular component of various snacks is pickled okra, which is cooked in two counts, and resembles the gherkins

to taste. Marinated Okra recipe:

To prepare 1 jar of 1 l, we need the following ingredients: okra pods - 200 g;cloves of garlic - 2-5 pieces;dill - 1 umbrella;black peppercorns -6 peas;bay leaves - 2 pcs.; salt - 1 tbsp.l.without a hill( at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water);acetic essence 80% - 1 tbsp.l.

The okra pods should be thoroughly rinsed, the tails cut off. The sterilized cans can be filled with spices, gently laid with fruits, it is better to cover the bottom with smaller pods, and the long ones should be laid tightly "standing".It is not necessary to fill the jars under the lid itself, since the liquid will naturally enter the fruit and about 3 cm at the neck will be free. Prepare marinade at the rate of 1 tbsp.salt and 1 tbsp.acetic essence for 1 liter of water, boil it and pour it over the jars. Then cover these cans with tin lids and sterilize for 10-15 minutes.(the fruit should be slightly yellow).If the liquid level drops, top up the marinade. Tuck hot jars and put upside down, cover with a towel and leave for a day. Keep the resulting delicacy in the basement or other cool dark place.

Advice: With which seasonings it is better to combine dishes with okra? If the dish is prepared by extinguishing, then its delicate flavor will help to preserve butter and lemon juice. Piquancy will add onion, garlic, red pepper and tomatoes. The best spices-companions - black pepper, ginger, curry, thyme, marjoram.

Culinary delights with bamia

Kitchens of different nations of the world use it as a base ingredient for delicious and healthy dishes. For example, in Iranian and Egyptian cuisines there are recipes with bamia and meat, and in India it is fried or marinated. Japanese chefs fry it in tempura and season with soy sauce.

Following are recipes for cooking okra - simple dishes that do not require special preparation.

Potatoes in pots( with okra)

Ingredients: okra - 0,5 kg, potatoes - 250 g, garlic - 2 teeth, tomato juice - 1 glass, vegetable oil for roasting, salt, spices - to taste.

Prepared and refined okra slightly fry( you can use a frozen vegetable).Garlic to pass through the press, combine with potatoes( medium-sized to cut to your taste).Mix tomato juice with spices and salt. Put bamia and potatoes in pots, pour tomato juice and put in a cold oven. Bake at 180 ° C for 30-40 minutes. Serve with herbs and sour cream.

Meat ragout with okra

Ingredients: okra - 0,5 kg, meat slices - 250 g, onion - 1 piece, garlic - 1 tooth, tomatoes canned - 250 g, turmeric - 1 tablespoon, vegetable oil for roasting, salt, other spices - to taste.

Prepare the okra( clean, wash, dry).Fry in a thick-walled saucepan finely chopped onion, add meat, salt, spices. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the tomatoes and simmer under the lid for 40-50 minutes. After the meat is soft, add the okra and stew for 15 minutes.

Vegetable stew with okra

Ingredients: okra - 0,5 kg, fresh tomatoes - 0,5 kg, onions - 1 piece, garlic - 3 teeth, canned tomatoes - 200 g, ground cumin( zir) - 0, 25 h.,., Lemon - 0, 5 pcs., sugar - 0, 5 tsp, green coriander - 3 tablespoons, olive oil for roasting, salt, other spices - to taste.

In a frying pan, fry in oil for 10 minutes.onions, garlic, half chopped cilantro. Add the okra and fry for another 3 minutes. After adding tomatoes, spices and stew stew about 30 min.on a quiet fire, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Bamiya is a wonderful product that suits any meal - soup, salad, garnish, a full dinner with meat, ragout. ..

You can learn more about the incredibly tasty and useful plant of okra from the video: