subject: Okra-dokey! [print this page] If youve ever enjoyed gumbo, youll be familiar with the unique vegetable called okra (scientific name Abelmoschus esculentus or Hibiscus esculentus). In various parts of the world where okra seeds have been sown, the vegetable is known as Ochro, Okoro, Quimgombo, Quingumbo, Ladies Fingers, Gombo, Kopi Arab, Kacang Bendi, Bhindi, Bendi, Bamia, Bamya or Bamieh. The gumbo, the thick, savory soup New Orleans made famous, takes its name from the Swahili word for okra.
Okra seeds were first cultivated by Egyptians on the alluvial banks of the Nile around the 12th Century before Christ. Traders took okra seeds with them throughout North Africa to the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and India. The African diaspora brought okra seeds to Brazil, Dutch Guinea, and eventually to New Orleans.
People brought to the Western Hemisphere as slaves used ground okra as a part of their diet. Okra seeds were pulverized as used as a coffee substitute by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War, when normal coffee imports were cut off through Union blockades.
Okra is a heat-loving plant that grows to be quite tall. It will withstand even the most ferocious heat and the most pitiless humidity, but a cold snap will kill it right away. The edible pods are best harvested when smaller than three inches in length; if they grow any larger, the taste and texture acquire an unpleasant woodiness. Before going out any buying a bunch of okra seeds you should make sure your climate is sufficiently warm and humid to yield a good crop.
If you buy heirloom quality okra seeds, you should save as many of them as possible for future planting. Permit okra pods to grow to an over-sized length and snap or pick them off the stalk. Incise them lengthwise from top to bottom, then pry them open at the opening. Extract the okra seeds using a thumbnail; they should be large and easy to remove. Collect the seeds on a plate or a large cardboard sheet, and allow them to dry out completely. Once this is done, place the okra seeds in a sealable plastic bag (marked with the date) and then store them in a cool, dry place.
