![]() ![]() As a member of the Malvaceae, it is related to such species as cotton, cocoa, and hibiscus. The species is a perennial, often cultivated as an annual in temperate climates, often growing to around 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall. From Arabia, the plant spread around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and eastward. ![]() One of the earliest European accounts is by a Spanish Moor who visited Egypt in 1216 and described the plant under cultivation by the locals who ate the tender, young pods with meal. The plant may have entered southwest Asia across the Red Sea or the Bab-el-Mandeb strait to the Arabian Peninsula, rather than north across the Sahara, or from India. The Egyptians and Moors of the 12th and 13th centuries used the Arabic word for the plant, bamya, suggesting it had come into Egypt from Arabia, but earlier it was probably taken from Ethiopia to Arabia. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of Southeast Asian, South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins. Truly wild (as opposed to naturalised) populations are not known with certainty, and the West African variety has been described as a cultigen. However, proposed parents include Abelmoschus ficulneus, A. tuberculatus and a reported "diploid" form of okra. Okra is an allopolyploid of uncertain parentage. Despite the fact that in most of the United States the word gumbo often refers to the dish, gumbo, many places in the Deep South may have used it to refer to the pods and plant as well as many other variants of the word found across the African diaspora in the Americas. The word gumbo was first used in American vernacular around 1805, deriving from Louisiana Creole, but originates from either the Umbundu word ochinggômbo or the Kimbundu word ki-ngombo. The first use of the word okra (alternatively okro or ochro) appeared in 1679 in the Colony of Virginia, deriving from the Igbo word ọ́kụ̀rụ̀. Etymology Ībelmoschus is New Latin from Arabic أَبُو المِسْك (ʾabū l-misk, "father of musk"), while esculentus is Latin for being fit for human consumption. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions around the world, okra is used in the cuisines of many countries. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of West African, Ethiopian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian origins. Okra or okro ( US: / ˈ oʊ k r ə/, UK: / ˈ ɒ k r ə/), Abelmoschus esculentus, known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. Abelmoschus longifolius (Willd.) Kostel. ![]() This item is perishable and must ship Overnight. Refrigerate unwashed and untrimmed in a paper bag in the crisper drawer for three to five days. Look for small pods, about two to three inches long they will be more tender and flavorful than larger pods. Avoid cooking okra in pans made of iron, copper or brass, as their reactive properties turn the vegetable black. Often used as a replacement for zucchini in many recipes stuff with vegetable or meat filling and bake. You can sauté, deep-fry or simmer okra in a stew as a thickening agent. One of the unique traits of okra is its ability to thicken gumbos, which many love. The seeds are surrounded by a slightly "gooey" substance that exudes when bitten or cut. Snappy green edible pods surround rows of edible white seeds that pop pleasantly in the mouth. The flavor is a pleasant blend of eggplant and green bean. Okra, also known as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a unique and widely polarizing vegetable. It is very popular in Creole dishes and is the base ingredient in gumbo. Its versatility allows for okra to be added to many different recipes. ![]()
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