Okra is an Easy to Grow Summer Vegetable

Okra is one of our garden delights at this time of year.  It is easily grown and very drought tolerant.  It loves the heat.  It does not have any pests that really harm it although some insects do work on the leaves.  It takes a little bit more preparation than green beans, corn, or tomatoes, but it is a good change of pace too.  The pods should be cut off the plant when about 4 inches long.  They grow fast, so keep a close eye on them. My wife's favorite way to prepare it is to slice the pods thin and then coat them with egg.  After the egg, coat the with corn meal and fry them in a bit of oil.  You can add salt and pepper to taste.  To spice it up, slice a jalapeno or two and add it to the mix too.  We do not deep fry them like Lambert's in Sikeston, MO or Cracker Barrel.  Sometimes we prepare them to cook and then freeze them.

Another way I like them is to stew them with tomatoes and jalapenos although my wife is not crazy about that.  You can also use okra to thicken stews and soups.  It is a very versatile vegetable with a mild flavor.

Okra

Okra Pods ready to cut up