What Does Okra Taste Like?

When the young woman bagging groceries asked that question this morning, it was the second time that had been asked of me. Last week, it was the grocery cashier.

I congratulated him on knowing what it was because, when I first observed okra in the market -- middle of last month after having not seen it literally in years, I’d been asked by various cashiers, every single time I went through the check stand, “What is this?”.

Originally, I thought the local market was taking advantage with the high price, until I ran into okra elsewhere and realized, $2.49 per pound was a bargain.

After a while, the checkers came to recognize the veggie, but then came, “How do you cook it? … what does it taste like?”

My response is always, “I can’t equate the taste to anything else. Okra has a flavor of its own.”

As to how to cook okra, I tell them all the various ways I’ve been enjoying okra while it’s been available.

Okra Salad

Okra Stewed

Okra Omelet

Okra Breaded and Fried

Then there’s okra baked in the oven with olive oil, okra sliced and added to soups and stews. I’ve even added sliced okra to turkey chili; but coming up with a description as to how it tastes, eludes me.

I'm no expert in the kitchen but, to those who've said, "I'm going to try it", I've cautioned, "Don't buy the big ones, cause they don't cook. Look for small and medium sized."

It's been such a hot uncomfortable summer that I can't wait for it to be over. Only thing I'm going to miss are the really tasty sweet watermelons I've come across and the okra.