Okay guys, I need some help here.

My dad and I are working on losing weight together!! (Hooray), and we are going to try 1 new veggie every week. If we don't like it, that's fine. BUT, its expanding our vegetable (and fruit too) horizons!

SO, this week's new veggie was OKRA!

I have had fried okra before, and I did NOT like it. But, that's fine because I am not allowed to eat fried foods anyway. So, tonight I just cooked it with water in the microwave.

The OKRA itself tasted good - but had one SERIOUS problem. SLIME. I mean it seriously looked like someone had sneezed all over the okra. We managed to choke a few bites down before the snot jokes started. (I started it with "Oh, I wasn't supposed to sneeze on it before I cooked it??")

Anyone have suggestions on de-sliming the okra??

Our thoughts - stir fry it? or - use veggie steamer? wash it ahead of time or right after steaming to de-slime it??

Just wondering if you have any suggestions, cuz the verdict was definately that it tasted good if you could get past the slime!

Thanks in advance!

Ahh yes, I had problems with slimey Okra as well and would love to hear a solution. The only one I currently know of is to stick it in a dish, like a stew, then the slime just mixes in with all the other goodies and you can't tell.

My favorite way to eat Okra though, is pickled. It's delicious!!! Unfortunately, it's not something that people eat in Jersey, or the northeast at all!!! You seem to only be able to get it in the south.

toss it out and try another veggie?

*LOL*

sorry, I have no suggestions, I've always been too scared to try Okra. But what a great idea, try a new veggie every week. I think I'll try that w/ hubby. I don't think we'll start with Okra.

My thought right now after reading a few more replies - Why on EARTH did God create a SLIMY vegetable? We're supposed to WANT to eat these things, aren't we??

Well, actually it's great sliced in soups or stews. No sliminess there. It's also good cooked with black eyed peas. I've never tried it in a stir fry, and although I've eaten lots of okra, I don't think I will ever have the nerve to try it in a stir fry.

Bethanne,

I found this on allrecipes.com:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creole-Okra/Detail.aspx

I wonder if you could cut back/eliminate the olive oil to make it lower fat.

I've never eaten okra in my life....

Good luck!
Sherry

If I remember correctly, that "slime" from okra is actually soluble fibre, BIG TIME. This vegetable is also the difference between gumbo and not gumbo. i.e. if you have a stew not thickened with okra, it's not gumbo; if your veg dish has okra, then it's gumbo.
The good news is that soluble fiber (like from okra or well-cooked oatmeal) gets into the bloodstream, and helps clear out the circulatory system, scrubbing a little layer of plaque deposit off wherever it goes. The bad news? Texture is hard to adjust to, if you don't thin it down or aren't expecting it!

Ah, my sweet Sherry, always finding things for me. Thank you very much. 2 tbsp of olive oil isn't that bad, but I'm sure you could cut it back, or even just use PAM.

Thanks for the suggestions guys - and keep em coming!

Slimey soluable fiber? Wow. I guess I just need to put it with something else, so maybe the slime won't be as noticable!!

Yum, we grew up on fried okra When mom joined WW a few years back, she started making oven "fried" okra that was pretty good. Pickled okra with hot peppers is really good. Mom usually stews it with tomatoes and other things. She insists that adding vinegar to the water removes the slime. Google "okra and vinegar and slime" and you'll find some interesting techniques and recipes

Oh yeah, Suzanne, my grandmother used to make a relish with tomatoes and okra. I had forgotten how good that was. And never slimy....maybe she used vinegar too!

I have no idea if this would be helpful, but I often see okra served with a tomato based sauce and it usually isn't slimy. I'm not sure if it's the acidity in the tomatoes or just that the slime is thinned out over a larger area, but I don't remember being bothered by it when it's served that way.

Back in Pakistan, we used to have okra curry. We'd slit the okra lengthwise in half and just try to wash away the slime as much as we could with just water before cooking.

WOW - either my post caught Suzanne's attention - or she was just shocked to see me posting again!! Hahaha...

Thanks for the suggestions guys - it truly was funny, because we were both saying "The okra is really delish, but this slime is NASTY!!" Dad told me to go "Back to the Drawing Board."

(Oh, in case you're curious, my dad is living with us during the week as he and my mom transition BACK to MA from PA. He started his new job up here in April, so he lives with me during the week, and goes to PA on the weekends. Mom is stuck there till Memorial day because of her teaching commitments! Then they might BOTH move in with the dog for a little bit till they buy a house!! A 2 bedroom apt, 3 dogs, 1 (possibly 2) cats, 4 adults, and one 1/2 time teenager should be a GREAT time. Then again, that sounds like the Mexicans who just moved in next door. (NO PREJUDICE MEANT BY THAT STATEMENT, only respect for how that society really does take care of its elders!!)