Crop of the Week: Red Okra

• In Yuma County, okra is grown primarily as a seed crop. This year there are about 100 acres of okra currently being grown for seed.

• Six to seven inches long, torpedo-shaped red or burgundy-colored okra pods are tender and with a taste somewhere between eggplant and asparagus. When cooked, the red color disappears and the pods turn green. Raw red okra adds a colorful touch to many dishes.

• The name okra probably derives from one of the Niger-Congo group of languages (the name for okra in the Twi language is nkuruma).

• Native to Ethiopia and a close relative of the ornamental hibiscus, okra is one of the oldest vegetables and the only member of the mallow family to be used as food.

• What makes this vegetable unique is that during cooking the pods exude a milky substance that thickens its surroundings, making it a sought-after ingredient for soups and stews.

Okra is excellent sauteed or fried. Very young, tender pods can be sliced, dipped in egg, breaded with cornmeal and fried (a favorite in the Southern U.S.). Saute with corn kernels, onion and sweet peppers. Okra can also be steamed, baked, pickled, boiled or stewed. Because of its similar flavor, it can be used in place of eggplant in many recipes.

Avoid long cooking times unless you are making soups, stews or gumbo. Use okra raw in salads. The seeds may be toasted and ground for use as a coffee substitute.

• Okra came to the Caribbean and the U.S. in the 1700s, probably brought by slaves from West Africa. In Louisiana, the Creoles learned from slaves the use of okra to thicken soups and it is now an essential in Creole gumbo.

• Purchase young, tender but firm pods that should snap easily in half. Store in a paper bag in the warmest part of refrigerator. Do not wash until ready to use, or okra will become slimy. When preparing, remember that the more it is cut, the slimier it will become. Aluminum pots will discolor it.

• Okra is a good source of vitamin C and A, also B complex vitamins, iron and calcium. It is low in calories, a good source of dietary fiber and is fat-free.

• In some countries, okra is popular because it is known as a pain reliever. Mature okra pods can be used to make rope and even paper. A perfume called ambrette is made from the musky-odored okra seeds.

Source: Kurt Nolte is an agriculture agent and Yuma County Cooperative Extension director. He can be reached at knolte@cals.arizona.edu or 726-3904.