Grand Ol’ Okra

I made another exciting find in the produce section today: fresh okra. OK, maybe it wasn’t that fresh, given that it came all the way from Thailand, but still I was excited to cook with a vegetable I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

Although largely absent from European cuisine, okra is a vegetable that gets around. It originally comes from Africa, and features prominently in dishes from India, Thailand, and the southern United States, among other areas. Like most veggies, it’s chock full of vitamins and fiber and other good-for-you stuff.

I was in the mood for curry, so that’s what I made with my find. I chopped the okra (called ‘lady’s finger’ in British English) into 1/2-inch pieces and sautéed it with some onion, garlic, curry powder, and chili peppers. After a few minutes I added some tomato puree, salt, pepper, and a little water, lowered the heat, and let the whole concoction simmer for 10 or 15 minutes. I ate it straight up, but I bet it would have been delicious over some basmati rice, as well.

I loosely based my concoction on this recipe for Okra Curry. I was thrilled with the outcome - spicy and flavorful. Plus, I somehow managed to avoid the sliminess that sometimes happens with okra. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for the next time they decide to sell okra in Zurich…