When the 2014 film Interstellar opens, the threat of human extinction is close, but the thing that would freak out many people is the fact that the only crops remaining are corn and okra. Corn’s fine, yes, but okra? Those who oppose okra are so vehement, you’d think they’d rather welcome the final hour than be forced to survive on these little green pods alone. Their complaints about it all boil down to the same thing: okra is slimy, glutinous, gummy, gooey, mucilaginous. But those of us who would happily eat okra (and corn) to our hearts’ content would point out that you can, in fact, make a virtue of okra’s gumminess by using it to soothe and thicken all kinds of soups, stews, gumbos and curries.
To anyone out there willing to give okra one last chance, pick recipes in which the pods are left whole with the seeds locked inside; it’s only when sliced before cooking that okra goes gloopy. Keeping it whole reduces that slimy effect, if not eliminating it completely.
Baked okra salad with fresh coconut and gingery tomatoes
A good (re)introduction to okra, which tastes a bit like a cross between an aubergine and asparagus. Serves four.
500g okra, ends trimmed but without exposing the seeds
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 2cm-wide wedges
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 red chillies, 1 deseeded and finely diced, the other cut into long, thin strips
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
30g dark muscovado sugar
250g baby plum or cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthways
½ small coconut, flesh coarsely grated (you need about 100g)
10g coriander leaf, roughly chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
2 limes, skin, pith and seeds removed, flesh roughly chopped – you need about 60g flesh, and make sure you save those precious juices, too
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. In a large bowl, mix the okra, onion, two tablespoons of oil, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Divide between two baking trays – you don’t want the okra to be overcrowded – and roast for 30 minutes, until golden brown but still with a bite. Set aside to cool.
While the okra is baking, put the ginger, diced chilli, garlic, sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in a bowl and mix to a paste. Lay the tomatoes cut side up on a parchment-lined baking tray, and dot with the paste. Bake for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the topping has caramelised. Remove and set aside to cool.
To serve, put the okra, onion and tomatoes in a serving bowl with the coconut, coriander, cumin and chilli strips. Give it only the very gentlest of tosses: you want the tomatoes to stay more or less intact, so the juice doesn’t leach out and stain the coconut. In a small bowl, mix the last tablespoon of oil with the lime flesh and juice, drizzle on top and serve.
Okra in sweet and sour dressing
Here, okra is served raw, or almost raw. It’s a revelation. Serves four.
700g okra, stems removed without exposing the seeds
1½ tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1½ tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp sesame oil
15g coriander leaf, roughly chopped
40g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped, to serve
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6. Put the okra in a large bowl with the oil, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Spread out on two baking trays, as in the preceding recipe, and roast for five to six minutes, until just slightly cooked, still firm and bright green in colour. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Put the garlic, chilli, sweet chilli sauce, maple syrup, lime juice and sesame oil in a large bowl and mix. Add the okra and coriander, mix well, then transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle on the peanuts and serve.
Prawn and chicken gumbo
Serve my take on the southern US favourite with plain rice. Serves six.
200g pancetta in one piece, chopped into 1cm cubes
4 boned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into 4cm pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped into 1cm dice
2 sticks celery, trimmed and cut into 1cm dice
1 large red pepper, stalk, seeds and pith removed, cut into 1cm dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp plain flour
400g okra, trimmed and cut into 1cm slices
1½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sweet paprika
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne
2 dried ancho chillies, soaked in 250ml boiling water for 10 minutes
400g tinned tomatoes, chopped
250ml chicken stock
600g jumbo prawns, peeled and deveined (about 350g)
15g coriander leaf, roughly chopped
3 limes, cut in half
Put a large saute pan for which you have a lid on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the pancetta and fry for four minutes, stirring now and then, until it starts to release its fat and crisp up. Transfer the pancetta to a bowl, leaving the fat behind in the pan. Add the chicken, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper to the same pan, and saute in the pancetta fat for five minutes, turning occasionally, until nicely browned all over, then tip into the pancetta bowl. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, with the onion, celery, pepper, garlic, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and more pepper, and fry for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until soft and caramelised. Stir in the flour, cook for a minute, then tip into the bowl.
Turn the heat to high, pour the rest of the oil into the pan, then stir-fry the okra for five minutes, until soft and browned. Add the spices, fry for a minute more, then add the ancho chillies and their soaking water, the tomatoes and chicken stock, and all the contents of the bowl. Turn down the heat to medium, cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Stir in the prawns and simmer for four minutes, until just cooked. Stir in the coriander and serve at once with a bowl of rice to share and half a lime to squeeze over each portion.
Okra and chickpea bake
Serve with crusty bread or rice, to soak up the tasty juices. Serves six.
120ml olive oil
3 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 red chillies, finely chopped
1½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
1 tbsp tomato paste
480g cooked chickpeas (tinned will do), drained
800g tinned chopped tomatoes
2 tsp caster sugar
Shaved skin of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper
600g okra, stems trimmed without exposing the seeds
20g oregano leaves, roughly chopped
200g feta, broken into 2cm pieces
30g picked flat-leaf parsley, very finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon, plus 1½ tbsp juice
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Pour two tablespoons of oil into a large saute pan on a medium-high heat. Add the shallots, saute for three minutes, stirring regularly, then add the garlic, chillies and cumin seeds. Cook for another minute, then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute, stirring to combine. Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes, sugar, shaved lemon skin, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Add 400ml water, stir, reduce the heat to low, cover and leave to bubble gently for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the okra in a large bowl with three tablespoons of oil and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Put a large saute pan on a high heat, add half the okra and sear for six minutes, turning regularly, until lightly charred all over. Remove from the pan, repeat with the remaining batch and then, once all the okra is seared, add it and the oregano to the chickpea pan. Stir gently, tip into a large 20cm x 30cm gratin dish and dot with the feta, submerging the cheese in the tomatoey juices. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbling, then remove; leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix the parsley, lemon zest and juice, the remaining three tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt. Spoon this over the baked okra and serve.
