Although okra is not as common as cucumbers and tomatoes, it is a very healthy vegetable because it contains many mineral salts and trace elements, B vitamins, vitamin C, carotene, etc.
Due to its mucous substances, it is recommended for people with gastrointestinal disorders. It is suitable for the preparation of delicious soups and stews, as an additive in the preparation of salads, casseroles, etc.
If you grow okra in your yard or have access to homegrown okra, it's a good idea to learn how to store it. The easiest method is to freeze it. However, this can only be done with the younger okra, because it is preserved for a longer time.
It must be no longer than 4-5 cm and must be blanched before being frozen. You can also store okra in jars so it doesn't take up space in your freezer.
In both cases, okra should be processed no later than 24 hours after it is picked. Here's how to proceed in these two situations:
Freezing okra
After you have picked the okra, you should inspect each pod carefully and remove the damaged ones. Then soak it in water so you can wash it well. After you have washed it, you need to blanch it. This is done by dropping it into boiling salted water for about 5 minutes.
When it is ready, it is poured with cold water and after it has cooled, it is left in a colander to drain. After that, it is packed in plastic bags by pressing it slightly in order to make the packages more compact and not take up space in the freezer.
The air from the bags must also be expelled. It is a good idea to prepare bags of different sizes, depending on what you will be cooking, and write the approximate amount of okra on them.
Canning okra
Washed and cleaned of the stalks okra (about 1 kg) is soaked along with water to which 150 g of vinegar and a little salt have been added. Separately, a brine is prepared from 400 ml of vinegar, 300 g of salt and 5 l of water, which is boiled and cooled.
When strained the okra is arranged in jars, it is poured with the brine and left for about 15 days so that it can be used.
If you love okra, be sure to try these recipes for:
- okra stew;
- breaded okra;
- okra in tomato sauce;
