Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Ode to okra
|
Lady's finger contains abundant fibre which helps blood sugar stabilise
|
OKRA'S SLIMY feel makes it a love it-hate it kind of food. The plant with the ribbed fruit is a member of the cotton family; it is also a close relative of hibiscus, rose of Sharon and hollyhock. Most botanists believe okra arose thousands of years ago in Africa, probably in Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan. The plant spread to India, Arabia and Europe and became an integral part of the local cuisines.
Fried flour-coated okra and other okra dishes are much-loved among specific population groups in many countries, especially in America. Gumbo (Bantu word for okra) is a popular Louisianan Creole soup-stew that uses okra for thickness and a gelatinous background. Okra can also be stewed, steamed, boiled, curried, sautéed and pickled. Okra seeds are a coffee substitute in North Africa and the Middle East; they also give edible oil that is as nutritious as most vegetable oils. 100 gm of raw okra contains just 30 Calorie, and it is absolutely fat-free. It is rich in nutrients like Vitamin C and B-Complex Vitamins. Cooking for long destroys most of the nutrients, so cook lightly or eat it raw.
The fruit's abundant dietary fibre and mucilage have important health implications. The fibre helps stabilise blood sugar levels by delaying sugar absorption from the gut. It also nourishes the good bacteria in the intestines in much the same way as yoghurt. Apart from preventing constipation, the slimy mucilage binds and inhibits the absorption of cholesterol, toxins and bile acids. Despite all these health benefits, okra's slime gets in the way of its popularity. As one American commentator lamented, "So few people eat okra that it never even makes it onto the lists of Top 10 hated foods." Cooking the pods whole reduces some of the sliminess associated with okra dishes. Another low-slime cooking tip is simply to avoid overcooking it.
Avoid cooking okra in brass, iron or copper pans as they tend to blacken the fruit.
RAJIV. M
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
