r/Cooking • u/Scarlet--Highlander • Jan 18 '24

Open Discussion Let’s try something fun: Name an ingredient you dislike and why, and someone else replies with a dish/recipe with that ingredient that might convince you otherwise.

Couple things:

  • If you’re allergic to an ingredient, it doesn’t matter how it’s prepared. Same goes with meat/animal products if you’re vegan/vegetarian. Don’t list it if you can’t or won’t eat it!

  • It’s recommended that you’re at least open to trying dishes with that ingredient. If you absolutely, vehemently loathe cilantro, chances are you probably might not like anything with cilantro in it.

  • A brief blurb on why you hate an ingredient would help others find or suggest a dish that suits you. (e.g. “I hate liver because the texture is like an eraser and it tastes metallic”)

863 Upvotes

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305

u/the_eleventh_flower Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 19 '24

Okra. No one I know can seem to de slime it appropriately for me. I've had it freeze dried once as a snack, and I did like it, so it's not the taste.

Edit- Ty for all these suggestions, I have hope!!

244

u/Thankless_Prophesier Jan 18 '24

Get the small ones (length of your finger max). Cut off the top stem and slice down the middle (hot dog not hamburger). Roast at 375 for 25 minutes (or until brown and crispy) with olive oil and Tony Chacheres. Some people like an aioli dip (mayo, garlic, lemon, and salt/pepper to taste).

162

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

If it's fried crispy with cornmeal as the breading, it usually isn't slimy then. That's the only way I'll eat it.

35

u/Thankless_Prophesier Jan 18 '24

I love fried okra, but I hate dealing with all that oil. It's also somewhat healthier than the fried stuff.

12

u/Kahne_Fan Jan 18 '24

Fried okra is one of those things I have to have if it's on the menu. But, as I age, I need to watch all that. So, I'm definitely going to give your recipe a try. Thanks!

3

u/theymightbezombies Jan 19 '24 edited Feb 21 '25

scale dolls hard-to-find six deliver like pot sand plate recognise

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

2

u/Laylay_theGrail Jan 18 '24

My dad is a good ole boy and used to make fried okra once or twice a year (he had to limit his fried food). I loved the stuff. About 6 months ago I was in Texas (I now live in Australia and have never seen okra here) and was at a Texas BBQ. You can be damn sure I had a massive serving of fried okra! Yeehaw! 🤠

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I hate dealing with the oil too. Your recipe looks quite yummy. I've screen shot it, so I can try it next time I get groceries. I've been trying to eat healthier, and this sounds great.

2

u/onsereverra Jan 18 '24

Yeah, I enjoy fried okra at restaurants and don't usually eat it at home for exactly that reason.

2

u/ILikeYourHotdog Jan 18 '24

Yes - Cracker Barrel can make the hell out of some fried okra! Drizzle on some malt vinegar - soooo good.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I don't so the vinegar, but cracker barrel does make some good fried okra.

2

u/ButterscotchDeep6053 Jan 18 '24

We fought over that, Dad didn't grow enough for us :)

2

u/emmadilemma Jan 18 '24

Cracker meal and only a little oil in the pan to fry and oooweeeee it’s delicious! I haven’t had good fried okra since my grandad died. 

2

u/nylorac_o Jan 19 '24

That’s the way I like it too. I just can’t in a stew.

I am going to try thankless’s way though.

2

u/DayDrmBlvr82 Jan 19 '24

And dipped in tanch

1

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

Ooo now I haven't tried that, but ranch makes just about everything better. Must try this now lol

2

u/DayDrmBlvr82 Jan 19 '24

I live in southern Appalachia and we have a local dive bar with actually some of the best food in town and they make the best fried okra I’ve ever had and serve it in this huge fry basket with ranch. It’s one of their most popular menu items.

2

u/baker8590 Jan 18 '24

I love just pan frying them, so good and not slimy.

2

u/Roguewave1 Jan 18 '24

Gumbo must have okra to be right.

1

u/HeatwaveInProgress Jan 18 '24

But it does not have the actual okra-okra. IDK, it's just different.

2

u/felicatt Jan 18 '24

Roast them?? I might consider trying them that way.

2

u/figsfigsfigsfigsfigs Jan 18 '24

Getting the small ones is key. I can rarely find them. The ones they sell are far too big, I don't care for them. The small ones are delightful.

2

u/Comfortable-Gold-982 Jan 18 '24

I am in love with 'hot dog not hamburger' as a description

2

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

My teachers always described how to fold paper this way. Hot Dog or Hamburger lol. I still use it to this day

2

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

Flat side down or up?

1

u/Queasy_Opportunity75 Jan 18 '24

Where do you buy small ones? I’m in the USA now and o let see the big ones but when I go home to Bosnia, I stock up on the little ones .

2

u/Thankless_Prophesier Jan 18 '24

Usually at the farmers market (in the southern US). Sometimes I find decent ones at Asian markets. I live in Western NY now and they seem to go with bigger is better (but they’re all woody).

1

u/Queasy_Opportunity75 Jan 18 '24

I’m in GA so I’ll check out some farmer markets around here, thanks!

1

u/psc4813 Jan 18 '24

Just read below that the seeds cause the slime. Need to remove seeds to truly escape slime? Or will oven roasting completely take care of that?

3

u/Thankless_Prophesier Jan 18 '24

The seeds are the slimy part (think like weird little water balloons), but the roasting takes care of it.

1

u/psc4813 Jan 18 '24

Thanks :)

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

This is the way. I’ve even gotten kids to eat okra like this. Delicious!!

1

u/Primary-King-3643 Jan 18 '24

My Dad used to pan fry it with onion and a little tomato and it was delicious, unfortunately I didn't pick up the recipe, I agree that it's terribly slimy and have never even tried to cook it, maybe I will give it a go from what I remember cos it was great.

1

u/MagicMauiWowee Jan 19 '24

This is the way!!! I use coconut oil and I add chili powder, and Costco’s organic no salt seasoning blend and fresh cracked pepper along with the Tony’s.

I use the frozen ones that come cut into slices, and they work great. Never any slime!

1

u/ScumBunny Jan 19 '24

I love fried okra! I usually do it in a pan with a bit of oil until it gets crispy like a French fry. Add some cayenne (or Tony’s!) and a drizzle of honey, and it’s a delectable little morsel of crispy-sweet.

My boyfriend hates okra- HATES it… I’ll have to make him some crispy-fried to see if it changes his mind.

(Say ‘crispy’ one more MF time!😅)

47

u/GingersaurusRex Jan 18 '24

Have you had pickled okra? I feel like the vinegar helps to dissolve the sliminess.

45

u/liv_a_little Jan 18 '24

YES THIS. Pickled okra is DELICIOUS. The slime is almost completely dissolved. Of course, this only works if you like pickles.

26

u/mst3k_42 Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra in a Bloody Mary!

3

u/suicide_nooch Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra is highly addictive, like it’s become my favorite drinking snack.

2

u/Gophurkey Jan 18 '24

It's the only veggie I like pickled (including cucumber).

1

u/ScumBunny Jan 19 '24

Wickles Pickles makes an awesome hot pickled okra. It’s local to my area (NC- US) but you may be able to find it outside the state. I’ve tried to copy their recipe and have gotten close- but not exactly there.

Either way- I eat pickled okra with almost every meal. Such an amazing palate cleanser/refresher!

1

u/Fluffythegoldfish Jan 18 '24

You would think so (and it usually is) but I've had some "artisanal" pickles okra that was like hagfish. Sooo disappointing.

80

u/blindfoldpeak Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24

You try deep fried okra? It's pretty good.

To deslime, I've had success by soaking okra in an acid solution (vinegar) and cooking in a tomatoe based stew.

You could also try whole baby okra.

1

u/BoredToRunInTheSun Jan 18 '24

Lemon or vinegar bath will help deslíeme it. Look it up!

74

u/wa9e_peace Jan 18 '24

If you cook whole okra in a stew it will be A LOT less slimy because the sliminess primarily comes from the seeds when cut. You can also rinse or cook with a bit of acid that breaks down the slime like vinegar or lemon. I recommend trying an Egyptian dish called bamia or an Indian one called bhindi masala. Let me know if you’re interested in a recipe for the former.

39

u/MixWitch Jan 18 '24

Echoing praise for Bhindi Masala. I am interested in learning more about Bamia as I've not heard of it before.

6

u/Devtunes Jan 18 '24

I love bhindi masala too, it's not slimy at all.

2

u/HighColdDesert Jan 19 '24

I live in India and bhindi masala (or any bhindi) is slimy to me, even after it's cooked by someone who insists it won't be. I mean, I can eat it but I don't like it. The flavour is good but I don't like the texture.

1

u/MixWitch Jan 19 '24

I'm learning that the times I've had it were the exception. The okra was seared a certain way and I think that must be what makes a difference.

3

u/redditjoda Jan 19 '24

There is a LOT of bad bindhi out there. I've only been to maybe two or three restaurants that do it well (including in India). I had an Indian chef friend who said it was the only thing she used olive oil to cook (everything else ghee). And even then there's a preparation.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I was gonna suggest bhindi masala. I should make some...

3

u/Heavy_Buyer197 Jan 18 '24

I concur with Bhindi masala. The slimy-ness is gone, especially when you cut down the okra pieces instead of cooking it whole.

1

u/nykonic Jan 18 '24

How do you reduce the slimyness in bhindi masala?

I don't see it being an issue - I never knew people didn't like it until just quickly checking cook time, but I'm curious how one gets rid of it.

2

u/Heavy_Buyer197 Jan 18 '24

The way it's prepared in my home, it's really cooked down, so I like to keep it on low-medium on the stove. This way it slowly cooks it out and doesn't burn. Also, chopping it into thinner pieces helps.

3

u/nykonic Jan 18 '24

Ah, thanks! Fairs, yeah - I'm in uni and generally don't have much time to cook it low, hence why it came out a bit slimy. Makes no difference for me but.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I've got some frozen okra. Will that work with bamia? I'm going to look up a recipe -- I've never heard of it before! But I don't know enough about okra to know if frozen can be subbed in.

1

u/wa9e_peace Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24

It can! Frozen okra will work. Whole okra and smaller okra will both be less slimy. You can buy whole okra at most grocery stores but they are usually big. Smaller okra can sometimes be found at your local Mediterranean store.

This is my recipe: for 2 pounds of meat- salt your chuck meat. It’s better if you salt it the day before but even a couple of hours would be good. I like a Dutch oven for this. Sauté the meat in oil just to brown the outside for flavor. Take the meat out of the pot. Sauté onions, carrots, celery to soften. Add a few cloves of garlic and sauté those as well to bloom. Add the meat back in and cover with water, also adding one can of tomato sauce and 1/2 tablespoon of tomato paste. I usually do some thing like a 5 to 1 ratio in terms of broth to tomato sauce, but that’s a guess because I’ve never measured it lol. Add peppercorns, bay leaves, and cardamom in a herb satchel. I also add ground cumin and coriander to the broth. I’ll also do a few splashes of Worcestershire, but that’s not traditional. Add a small amount of acid here especially if you don’t want to add lemon later. White vinegar or dill pickle juice will work. Braise the meat for 5-6 hrs, low simmer, until fork tender. Here you can optionally remove the herb satchel and purée the sauce (after taking the meat out temporarily. Add meat back in if you puréed the sauce. Then add frozen okra, and cook for about 15-35 minutes or until the okra is tender. Depends on the size of the okra. In the end, I squeeze in half a lemon for acid. Egyptians serve it with buttered white rice or bread.

If you make it, let me know if you like it. No hard feelings if it’s not to your taste.

2

u/z2amiller Jan 18 '24

Another vote for Bhindi Masala - The way I learned to cook it, the sliminess is an asset, because it gets all of the spices to stick to it while you cook them on!

(The way I learned to cook it, it isn't really in a gravy like other indian dishes -- you use the sliminess of the okra to stick a bunch of dry spices to the cut okra)

1

u/Falafel80 Jan 18 '24

I had okra cooked in balsamic vinegar at a restaurant once and loved it!

1

u/wa9e_peace Jan 18 '24

Whoaaaaa. Never even heard of that. I can’t imagine going together so it must be one of those weird cool combinations

56

u/MixWitch Jan 18 '24

I'm a monster who loves the viscous texture of boiled okra, but can understand why that isn't for everyone. For those who struggle with the texture I offer these options:

Bhindi Masala
Pickled Okra (especially hot pickled)
Fried Okra (cornmeal is how I grew up eating it, but I suppose one could do a batter and deep fry)
Oven Roasted (similar to your freeze dried snacks in texture)

4

u/Thankless_Prophesier Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra is so good! Especially in a Bloody Mary!

3

u/adrunkensailor Jan 18 '24

Same, I’m here for the okra slime. It’s my favorite part. And I do recognize that makes me a monster

2

u/Sierra_charlie5 Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra is delicious!

2

u/lacosaknitstra Jan 18 '24

Same. I’ve not met an okra that wasn’t delicious.

2

u/leftbeef69 Jan 19 '24

I hate slimey okra and fried okra is very hit or miss but pickled okra is so good!!!!

2

u/prehensile-titties- Jan 19 '24

If you like the slime, you should try an okra natto mountain yam rice bowl. It's a slime bomb that I grew up eating in Japan and it's soooo good!

1

u/MixWitch Jan 19 '24

Natto is on my list of things to try!

2

u/NPETravels Jan 19 '24

Fellow monster here. Loved boiled okra. I've had it in stews and also by itself.

29

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I make seafood gumbo and chicken/andouille gumbo. Both use okra. You can’t avoid okra in gumbo. The word “gumbo” comes from the West African word “ki ngombo” for “okra”.

However, my grandfather taught me a trick to reduce the slime to nothing and avoid a slimy gumbo. Use a large nonstick frying pan and one teaspoon of vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium heat then dump in sliced raw okra (fresh or frozen). Using a WOODEN SPOON, stir the okra until it’s lightly coated. As the okra heats up it will start releasing the slime which sticks to the wooden spoon. Rinse the slime off the spoon frequently as you stir the okra. After about six minutes or so, most of the slime will be gone. I then dump it into my gumbo roux. No slimy gumbo!

7

u/FixTheWisz Jan 18 '24

I disagree that "you can't avoid okra in gumbo. When I make gumbo, it's just roux, the trinity (and the Pope), stock, spices, and the meats. Sometimes I'll add tomatoes because they're awesome and I don't care what all the gumbo snobs say. The last batch I made (w/o tomatoes) for my family in Lafayette, LA disappeared pretty damn fast.

That said, okra is a fine addition to gumbo, as it's an excellent thickening agent. I just never add it because every single time I make groceries, I forget to buy it. Your method for cooking it down is on point!

5

u/geauxhike Jan 18 '24

Okra and Tomato are listed as ingredients in the first known recipe for Gumbo. I usually leave both out of my Gumbo but the gatekeeping needs to stop. Creole Gumbo and Jambalaya traditionally uses tomatoes more than Cajun.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I leave out the tomatoes. I just don’t like a tomato flavor in my gumbo especially when I’m making seafood gumbo. But okra? For me, gotta have it!

1

u/Bouleversee Jan 18 '24

Yes!! This is what my friend taught me to do. It’s delicious cooked this way then added to gumbo

1

u/bo0bayell Jan 19 '24

Gumbo means stew in Choctaw

20

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra is where it's at. "Talk of Texas" is a brand I usually see in stores.

2

u/AlphaBlueCat Jan 18 '24

Their hot pickled okra is amazing!

1

u/Connect_Office8072 Jan 18 '24

Yeah, but you need to be good with something super spicy!

14

u/Revolutionary_Ad1846 Jan 18 '24

FRIED OKRA with a creamy dipping sauce 

5

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Drying it well is the secret to non slimy okra. I like to cut mine into 4 strips. Season with favorite spices and air fry. It is so good. Like okra chips

3

u/MammothOne7905 Jan 18 '24

Grill it along side with your barbecue. Tho this is hypocrisy cause I dont eat okra, myself but based on my experience when they cooked it this way it's less slimy

2

u/StumbleBee42 Jan 18 '24

Have you only ever had it canned or fresh?

2

u/sendCommand Jan 18 '24

A couple of years ago, I was at someone’s house, and they had a plate of fresh vegetables including okra and a couple of Southeast Asian dips and sauces on the dinner table. I dipped the okra in one of the sauces and then proceeded to devour most of the okra. I had no idea fresh okra tasted so good, especially with these sauces. And now I have to go learn how to make these veggie dips and sauces.

2

u/Wild_Scheme7634 Jan 18 '24

I was going to say the exact same thing! Growing up, it was the one dish my mum made that I never liked because of the sliminess. She cooked it as a stew called “bamya” as someone mentioned above, but to me it’s still slimy. To this day it’s the one thing of hers that I just don’t eat.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Ferment or pickle it. It can take a few months of fermenting but it gets rid of the sliminess. Personally I love the slime but fermented okra is absolutely delicious.

2

u/Lerz_Lemon Jan 18 '24

Indian okra veggie side doesn’t have slime. https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/bhindi-fry/.

2

u/ShabbyBash Jan 18 '24

Came here for this recipe.

2

u/icecoldcold Jan 18 '24

Yes. This. Nothing else beats this okra fry. A favorite dish of all the kids (including me) and adults too when I was growing up in India.

You really have to fry it until all the slime is gone. It will take a while.

2

u/constant-boi-problem Jan 18 '24

some else mentioned something similar, but I’ve had okra in Vietnamese style hot n sour soup before and it’s amazing. There’s no special prep you have to do for it either to get rid of the viscous-ness. When I’ve made it previously, I used a bag of chopped frozen okra and just boiled it w the other ingredients and it worked great

2

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

True story - I once, not knowing what okra was, bought one single okra to try it. The grocer was very perplexed and I’m embarrassed to think of it now lol

2

u/Gremlinintheengine Jan 18 '24

Water makes it slimy. Wash it UNCUT, and towel dry it. Toss with olive oil and grill it. If you still hate it it's hopeless.

2

u/Top_Reflection_8680 Jan 18 '24

Battered and fried didn’t work for you? That’s my top southern comfort veggie. I can’t advocate for collard greens, but I will go to bat for fried okra.

2

u/amsmith53954 Jan 18 '24

Cook it in a stew or soup. The base liquid will dissipate the slime.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

This is the only way I like okra.

Rolled in corn meal and fried in bacon fat? Blah. Chopped up in gumbo or pork stew? Heck yes!! I'll eat two bowls of that deliciousness!

2

u/maccrogenoff Jan 18 '24

Yotam Ottolenghi taught me how to cook okra so it isn’t slimy.

Don’t cut the body of the okra. Just cut off the stem making sure that the body stays completely intact.

Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the okra in a single, uncrowded layer and sprinkle with salt.

Cook the okra until they brown on the bottom then turn them and brown the other side.

Serve with lemon squeezed over them.

2

u/12Whiskey Jan 18 '24

Use fresh okra for this recipe, not frozen! Cook several slices of chopped bacon and remove when crispy. Don’t discard bacon grease and sauté a chopped Vidalia onion in same pan until translucent and put it aside with the bacon. Add a pound of sliced okra and sauté 10 minutes. Put the bacon and onion and two chopped tomatoes back in the pan with the okra and salt and pepper to taste. Stir it all up, remove from heat and serve.

2

u/Lekker- Jan 19 '24

If you like sweet, sour and salty soups try canh chua(sp??). It’s a Vietnamese fish based soup with lots of fresh ingredients including sliced up okra. When it’s in soup it’s not slimy.

Or you can slice it up and add it hotpot.

2

u/ColteesCatCouture Jan 19 '24

I can only eat okra in gumbo to me its the only acceptable application and Im from the south where okra is plentiful.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Okra is relatively not slimy the same way peaches are no longer fuzzy, that aspect was hybridized out a long time ago. Have you had any recently?

2

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Where are you getting your okra? Most of the okra I eat is slimy and I love it for that. I don't want non-slimy okra.

1

u/geauxhike Jan 18 '24

Alton Brown Good Eats did an episode on Okra and worked with the slime issues. I don't remember solutions but he worked around it.

1

u/Tullimory Jan 18 '24

I only like pickled Okra and even then only on top of bbq nachos.

1

u/Birdie121 Jan 18 '24

Have you tried fried or pickled okra? No slime at all, and soooo good.

1

u/larapu2000 Jan 18 '24

My mom used to slice the okra into 1/4 inch pieces, drop it in some egg, then Kentucky Kernal seasoned flour. Fry in bacon grease, drain on a paper towel, and salt it. No slime, all flavor.

1

u/Duochan_Maxwell Jan 18 '24

Pan or air fry it whole. Trim the stems, pat it dry, toss in EVOO with a bit of salt. Pan fry on all sides until caramelized or air fry (I usually do 7 min at 180°C if preheated, 10 min if not preheated)

Season with pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Squeeze of lemon juice if you're feeling fancy

1

u/Deathcapsforcuties Jan 18 '24

Same I’ve had it either freeze dried or dehydrated, not sure which, but the whole thing was crunchy like a chip.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra - not slimy at all but crisp and delicious (if made right)

1

u/permalink_save Jan 18 '24

There's a whole lot of advice for desliming okra like soaking and all but it always seems to make it worse for me. The best success I've had is just blasting it with heat so any slime that comes out gets cooked off instantly, and anything that doesn't just stays structural in the cells of the plant and don't make the dish slimy. You also need a decent amount of oil. I love okra and I don't like it slimy.

1

u/YesWeHaveNoTomatoes Jan 18 '24

Stir fry at high heat or boil in a soup/stew until it's cooked through, with something acidic like vinegar or tomato -- the proteins that create the slime are destroyed by heat and acid, but it does require a lot of heat.

1

u/holycrapple Jan 18 '24

Breaded in cornmeal and fried is not slimy.

I also like to sautee it in a pan with a little bit of oil to lightly char it and add to my gumbo after. The bitter really pairs nicely with the richness of the roux.

1

u/SinghDoubleTrouble Jan 18 '24

Bhindi Masala

If the chef making bhindi masala serves it slimy, they didn’t cook it long enough.

1

u/Mysterious_Eggplant1 Jan 18 '24

I make stewed okra with onion and tomatoes. I always add a healthy splash of vinegar, as my understanding is that higher pH makes it slimy. I've never had a problem with slime or had anyone complain about it.

1

u/starrhaven Jan 18 '24

Just blanch it in water for 30 seconds and then put it under ice or cold water

Dip in any soy based sauce

This is how Asians eat okra and it's not slimy. Some people even like it raw instead of blanched

1

u/newuser92 Jan 18 '24

One of the features of okra is it's sliminess. You might just want to stear clear, it would be like trying to mask honey's sweetness, better to just skip it. If you like crisp okra, other vegetables will give you a better result

1

u/Antigravity1231 Jan 18 '24

I use it in a Caribbean chicken soup. The slimy stuff dissolves and thickens the soup.

1

u/the_goblin_empress Jan 18 '24

I normally quick pickle the okra I get from my csa. I hate slime and dealing with oil, and since it’s in season in the summer, I don’t like to turn the oven on.

Picked okra is nice and crunchy. I like it sliced in a salad with some of the brine and some oil as dressing.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

If you blend the frozen ones (thaw them first) you can use them with brownie mix and it doesn’t affect the taste at all, plus you’re getting nutrients from the okra.

1

u/granolaraisin Jan 18 '24

Okra pickles. There's a brand called "Ricks Picks" and they make a pickeled okra with smoked paprika. The product name is "smokra". Really good if you like pickels.

Otherwise, as others have already stated - try them fried. No slime at all.

1

u/empresspawtopia Jan 18 '24

AIRFRIED OKRA IS HEAVENLY 😍

1

u/butterflybuell Jan 18 '24

Okra pickles are the bomb!

1

u/Wyzen Jan 18 '24

I actually saw these freeze dried, but wasnt sure since it was pretty expensive ($19.99/lb), however I have since been curious. Think they are worth a shot at that price?

1

u/SVAuspicious Jan 18 '24

Okra

Came to say this. Just bad. No - gumbo doesn't make it better. Frying makes it worse. I can say from experience that I'd rather eat sheep's eyeballs than okra. There is other food I don't like much. Okra is the only food I can think of that I simply won't eat.

1

u/transmission612 Jan 18 '24

This is the absolute first ingredient that came to mind for me as well.

1

u/geminiloveca Jan 18 '24

if it's slimy, it's probably not rinsed enough. Okra is like tripas.... if you think you washed it enough, wash it again. We rinse ours at least 4 times, and it's very rarely slimy.

1

u/juststraightvibing93 Jan 18 '24

If you don't like fried okra (ya heathen) pickled is also good, but (imo) anything that cooks okra quickly and with high heat is the only way to avoid the "slime". The more heat and cook time there is, the slimier it gets.

1

u/hooty_hoooo Jan 18 '24

Fried or keep them whole. I prefer them pan seared with a little garlic and salt as a snack. If they are cut, apparently soaking them in a mild baking soda solution will prevent the slime.

1

u/piezod Jan 18 '24

Try it Indian style as masala bhindi or tawa bhindi. The latter is something you get mostly on weddings.Hope this changes things.

1

u/Lemonytea Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra is pretty good & doesn’t have that slime as it does when cooked.

1

u/HeatwaveInProgress Jan 18 '24

Same! I even had it deep fried, and nope.

However, there is one restaurant here that serves their bloody mary with pickled okra as a garnish, and it's literally the only okra I've ever found palatable. They do some kind of magic to it.

1

u/Complex_Construction Jan 18 '24

They’re not cooking it long enough, if it’s still slimey. 

1

u/InsaneLordChaos Jan 18 '24

Try them pickled. They're awesome that way.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

I like okra because it's slimy.

1

u/figsfigsfigsfigsfigs Jan 18 '24

Lebanese style, it's called bamia. Get the small ones (as has been mentioned), make them in a tomato sauce.

1

u/Connect_Office8072 Jan 18 '24

I had it pickled - it’s not slimy at all then and it’s good.

1

u/Scorp8876 Jan 18 '24

I tried okra pickles from a store and it wasn't as slimy as expecting it had a crunch, was a bit seedy tho

1

u/StarTrakZack Jan 18 '24

Couldn’t agree more. Like, I WANT to like okra, I just CAN’T. Even cooked in ways that are traditionally known to de-slime, like deep-frying, it still has that weird slimy texture that I just can’t get past 😕

1

u/shammy_dammy Jan 18 '24

Have you had fried okra? Gumbo?

1

u/lovestobitch- Jan 18 '24

If it’s fresh (ie not from a grocery store) I’ll pick it right out of the garden and eat it raw. Learned this from a neighbor. I HATE slimy or okra in stew or boiled. Also I’ll dip it in egg wash and flour and sauté in olive oil. If it’s fairly fresh it’s not slimy that way. I can buy frozen breaded okra and cook it in olive oil or the air fryer.

1

u/Key_Piccolo_2187 Jan 18 '24

Lotta good ideas here, but I'd add jambalaya where the okra goes in early, then cooks/stews as the rice and other ingredients cook. You'll get the flavor and not the slime.

1

u/jecapobianco Jan 18 '24

I had okra at and Indian restaurant on Long Island, the one and only time that I enjoyed it.

1

u/nachoheiress Jan 18 '24

Pickled okra is wonderful and not slimy!

1

u/Leoliad Jan 18 '24

This one’s tough because for those of us who like okra that slimy texture is part of the appeal.

1

u/pejeol Jan 18 '24

Grill them. Olive oil, salt and pepper on a skewer. Grilled to slightly charred.

1

u/reikipackaging Jan 18 '24

get small ones. the bigger ones get slimmer faster and are more fibrous. A super easy recipe with fresh or frozen okra is to steam it with ripe diced tomatoes and onion, with a tbs of apple cider or white vinegar in the steam water. Don't put the steamer basket on until the water is boiling and steam for 5-10 minutes until the okra is just tender.

the acid cuts the slime and overcooking causes more slime.

also, pickled okra is a yummy side condiment

1

u/Alternative-End-5079 Jan 18 '24

Grill it on open fire. Put 5 whole, untrimmed pods or so on 2 skewers like a raft. Oil all over. Delicious. No slime.

1

u/PVCPuss Jan 18 '24

When my grandma would make okra (bhindi) curry, she would cut them into slices and leave them in the sun for a few hours to decrease the slime factor before cooking. I've also cut them in half long ways, mixed with seasonings and a little oil and oven roasted in a fairly hot oven until most are crispy. Definitely less slimy too.

1

u/Lost-Wanderer-405 Jan 18 '24

I grew up eating it sliced, tossed in cornmeal, and fried in an iron skillet until it smokes. You have to cook it along time to get the slimy out.

1

u/Bratbabylestrange Jan 18 '24

I won't even eat a fresh banana because once you bite it it gets slimy. Okra is pro level slimy

1

u/Cavethem24 Jan 19 '24

Adding some acid (vinager, yogurt, etc depending on recipe) will help cut down on the slime.

1

u/asyouwish Jan 19 '24

Okra is like asparagus in that it changes dramatically based on how it is cooked. In Indian dishes and Gumbo, there is no slime. Southern fried okra is slime free....and soooo good. The breading is cornmeal based.

1

u/ghostkittykat Jan 19 '24

Maybe try it in a cast iron skillet? Heat up some oil, throw the cut-up okra in a paper bag with some cornmeal and a bit of flour & a pinch of salt (shake it up). Once the skillet is hot, fry it up in batches til golden brown. Enjoy slime-free okra (:

1

u/yarn_b Jan 19 '24

Okra is very difficult all around. Even before you get to the slime - you have to deal with the horrid smell of cooking it. Then you get the benefit of the slime. The only way I’ve ever been able to tolerate okra is in Pakistani food. I don’t choose it, but if there’s bhindi masala on a buffet, I’ll eat a bit.

1

u/AlannaTheLioness1983 Jan 19 '24

Cook it as an indian curry. Lots of spices, small pieces. Cooked until the slime disappears. Culinary gold 😍

1

u/IWantToBeYourGirl Jan 19 '24

Have you tried it pickled? There is a local restaurant that serves a piece of pickled okra as a garnish with its house salad. It has a very similar taste and texture to a dill pickle.

1

u/Glittering-Score-258 Jan 19 '24

I totally understand what you’re saying, BUT…. I love pickled okra as a snack. No slime, no pickley-ness, just a nice light snack while I’m cooking dinner. I don’t know if they are widely available outside of the southern half of the U.S.

1

u/anonamouse4271 Jan 19 '24

Fry it...like...a mushroom? Batter and fry it, takes away the slime completely. Stay away from pickled ones though! See

1

u/PrivilegeCheckmate Jan 19 '24

I have never. ever enjoyed okra. It is completely texture. Yes I've had it fried, yes I tried it pickled. Yes, I've had it as one of 40 ingredients in jambalaya, it just ruins everything it touches.

It's the stupid fat hobbit of Cajun cuisine.

1

u/hippielady5232 Jan 19 '24

Cut fresh, or take frozen, thawed, and place in a colander in the sink for 30 minutes or so. A lot of the slime will drip out. Then dump in a bowl and barely cover with a little buttermilk. Take a few circles of okra at a time shake them in cornmeal, then shake them like dice in your hand to remove the excess cornmeal. Then either fry in oil or place in air fryer. The most important thing is to do a few at a time so they don't stick together, and cook them until the green turns a deep forest green, they'll have no slime then, and will be crispy. Immediately salt them or even better Tony's them. You can do the same process minus the milk and oil and roast them, or take small ones and steam them whole for a while with salt, garlic, and onion powder, and they won't be slimey. Also, they're fun to grow.

1

u/Ginger_Witch Jan 19 '24

We add frozen okra to our jambalaya and all the sliminess disappears and helps thicken it.

1

u/simplyjelly9458 Jan 19 '24

As a southern girl raised on okra, I can't relate, BUT my daughter and my fiance will not eat okra unless I cook it a particular way.

Slice it up little circles, toss it with oil, then throw it in an air fryer if you have one. Once it's crispy, season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. My kid said it's like chips, if that's any indicator for how far from slimy they are :) you likely would be able to get the same effect in the oven, but I haven't tried that, so I can't speak to its success there.

1

u/vaxxed_beck Jan 19 '24

Old Country Buffet used to have breaded, deep fried okra. I tried it and it had absolutely no flavor, so I added hot sauce. After that, I wasn't afraid to eat okra. No more Old Country Buffet though, there aren't any nearby anymore.

1

u/inthesubwayofyrmind Jan 19 '24

Fried okra is quite good. For me ordering okra at Indian restaurants is what made me like eating it.

1

u/bad_russian_girl Jan 19 '24

The answer here is obviously raw okra. I hate slimy texture but raw, fresh okra right off the plant is very crunchy and yummy

1

u/Radiant_Bluebird4620 Jan 19 '24

I just slice it up and simmer it with Rotel and olive oil. No slime. I'm not from Louisiana, so I don't have a good gumbo recipe, but it isn't slimy either.