Okra, The Summer Fruit

The Okra Flower

History

    Okra is an indigenous fruit from Western Africa and Southeast Asia. Okra made it to the South of America during the beginning of the slave trade in the 1500s. This crop is considered a heat tolerant crop that flowers and fruits during high summer temperatures up until the first winter. Because of this it’s an easier crop to grow in southern areas of the U.S. and hotter regions globally.

Production

Okra production works globally having India as the top producer of the world’s Okra. India grows more than 70% of the crop. Other large producers are Nigeria, Sudan, Iraq, and Pakistan. The U.S is the 20^th largest producer but only accounts for 0.1% of the worlds production. States that produce Okra are Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

When growing the crop for instance in Oklahoma specifically there are many assets needed. For instance, when it comes to the soil Okra thrives in a very specific kind of soil called loamy soil although the soil can vary. Loamy soil is a mixture of clay, sand, and silt. This kind of soil is beneficial because of the sufficient amount of water and nutrients provided to the growth and development of Okra. If a farmer were to use a heavier soil the soil would need to drain efficiently or else it will cause waterlogging which is when the soil is overly saturated in water.

Another factor farmers need to stay aware of is the Soil Ph level which plays a very important role in the growth of Okra. Okra grows best between the Ph levels of 6.0 and 6.8. If it were over 7.5 it would be considered alkaline and anything under 5.8 would cause poor pod development. If they had soil that is below 5.8 they would have to be limed to bring up the Ph level to 6.0. Liming is when you add calcium and magnesium materials which will neutralize the acidity.

For weed control there are actually very sustainable practices that farmers use to keep weed growth down. Cover cropping is a practice where there is a crop grown between the main crop and maintained to reduce weed growth. Cover cropping reduces erosion, run off, and contamination of soil water. When planning for a watering system drip irrigation is the best route to go especially if there isn’t an adequate amount of water volume. With drip irrigation the distribution of water is applied to the surface soil or the subsurface with buried drip tape. This prevents over watering and directly gives the soil the water it needs without overusing water during times of a drought.

Different sizes of Okra growth, 3-4 Inches is ideal size for Fresh Okra

A good harvest consists of the Okra being about 3 to 4 inches in length and when the Okra pods are at a longer length they tend to be more tender. You can tell when harvesting is ready about 4 to 6 days after the fruit blooms. The amount of time harvesting takes also depends on the temperature and sunlight levels that were made available from planting to full growth. Usually, to preserve the pod stems farmers will use shears to cut pods off. A thing farmers have to look out for are over mature pods when having over mature pods this prevents the amount of flowering to happen along with fruiting if they are left on the plant for an excessive amount of time.

Processing

Packing and storing for Okra can be a bit of a tedious process. Okra can only be stored up to about 7-10 days while being maintained at 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is held less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit it can cause chilling injury which can consist of surface discoloration, pitting and decay. Okra can bruise if packed tightly or in large bulk containers that can cause a rapid heat increase. It is best to precool with cold air to remove initial heat from being in the crop fields, but not best to hydrocool. When shipping it is best to ship with refrigeration and to not use top-ice or any ice which can come in direct contact with Okra because it can cause water spotting.

Recipe

Okra is very famous in states like Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Florid and a very well-known dish for Okra is Okra Gumbo. This recipe I found is a Vegetarian Okra

Gumbo, usually traditional Okra Gumbo will have sausage in it.

Ingredients

• 1 red onion
• 2 cups of Okra
• 1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper
• 2 Portobello Mushrooms
• 2 Stalks o celery
• 1 Tablespoon of Cajun Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Thyme
• 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked Paprika powder
• 1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 2 cups cooked kidney beans
• salt and pepper to your liking

For the roux 

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat
• Sprinkle a dash of flour into the oil and if it bubbles gradually whisk flour into the oil
• Stir thoroughly until lightly brown in color this will take about 8-10 minutes. It is easy to burn the roux so stay alert
• Add in onions and vegetables once roux is lightly brown and cook for another 10 minutes
• Add spices and cook for one more minute then add diced tomatoes and beans and cook for another 20 minutes
• Season with salt and pepper and serve over rice
  

  Finishing product of Okra Gumbo

A personal recipe I have used for a while is much simpler if the first one is too tedious. My mom showed me this and she learned it from my grandma. You’ll get a fresh bunch of Okra and begin by washing the Okra from any residue that may be on them. Then you proceed by cutting off the stem and throw it away and proceed to cut down the main Okra. Then you start to stir fry the Okra adding putting some salt and pepper, while it’s stir frying you want to scramble eggs and once you have the Okra to your liking you stir in the eggs creating an almost Okra Omelet breakfast. This dish doesn’t need much seasoning because the eggs, okra and butter or oil you may use adds a good flavor.

References 

Brandenberger, Shrefler, Damicone, Rebek, L. , J. J. E. (2019, January 1). Okra Production – Oklahoma State University. Okra Production | Oklahoma State University. Retrieved October 16, 2021, from Okra Production | Oklahoma State University (okstate.edu)

Tridge , T. (2021). Fresh Okra Global Wholesale Market prices. Retrieved October 16, 2021, from Fresh Okra global production and top producing countries – Tridge

Blog Post by Desiree Lugo-Marquez