Red Okra, Ladies Fingers

Red okra, botanically classified as Abelmoschus esculentus, is an heirloom variety belonging to the Malvaceae family. The thick, bi-colored pods are a favored home garden cultivar and are used as an ingredient in culinary dishes throughout the Southern United States, Asia and India. Red okra is not commercially grown on a wide scale and it will produce many edible pods throughout the season. The young and tender pods are utilized in a wide array of fresh and cooked culinary preparations.

Red okra is an excellent source of vitamin K to assist in faster wound healing and vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. The pods are also a good source of manganese to construct connective tissues, folate to produce healthy red blood cells, and contain lower amounts of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, and calcium.

Red okra has a sweet, subtly nutty flavor well suited for both raw and cooked applications. The pods can be harvested young, utilized fresh in salads, or they can be sliced in half, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and eaten as a fresh appetizer or snack.

Red okra can also be grilled, fried, boiled, steamed, or stir-fried, and the pods will turn bright green when cooked. The pods can be lightly steamed, coated in butter and salt, and served as a simple side dish, sliced and tossed into soups and stews, or cut and layered into ratatouille and casseroles. They can also be rolled in cornmeal and fried, chopped with other summer vegetables and baked into a pie, pickled and canned for extended use, or stir-fried for a crisp texture.

It is important to note that the cooking method and the addition of acidic ingredients such as tomatoes will help to reduce okra’s slimy consistency. In the Southern United States, Red okra is popularly cooked into gumbo, a thick stew made from flavorful spices, meats, and vegetables, often spooned over rice.

Red okra pairs well with tomatoes or tomato sauces, corn, eggplant, bell peppers, legumes, herbs such as oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme, garlic, vinegar, meats including beef, pork, and shrimp, and spices such as turmeric, coriander, garam masala, paprika, and chile powder.

​Unwashed, whole Alabama Red okra pods will keep 2 to 3 days when loosely wrapped and stored in a perforated plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. The pods can also be blanched and stored in a plastic bag in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.