http://gongzefan.chudadi.com/ Attempts at weight loss, healthy food and baking recipes, and comments from my dogs. en http://gongzefan.chudadi.com/2009/03/13/the-nerd-makes-good-a-double-ode-to-okra.html * Or, Give Pods a Chance! [Okra pods, in the raw] I have a confession to make.  I haven’t told you all about this yet because, quite frankly, I was afraid you’d reject me.  Move that cursor elsewhere, as well as click.  At best, roll your eyes.  Maybe snort in disgust.  Maybe gag, even. But I’ve decided it’s time.  I mean, really, what kind of lasting relationship can we have without full disclosure?   So I’m just going to come out as well as say it: I love okra. I. Love. Okra.  Are you operational on behalf of the hills yet?  Oh, I know what you’re thinking:  Okra?  That polygonal pod that’s a staple in gumbo, as well as mostly reviled? That much-maligned member of the marrow family (but cocoa is in that family, too!) that an estimated all people reject without so much as a nibble?  That pariah of the produce aisle that’s often referred to as gluey, viscous, slimy or mucilaginous–with seeds that remind you of those bowls of peeled grape “eyeballs” all of us stuck our hands into at Halloween when we were kids? Yep. That okra. I adore okra’s long, lantern-shaped pods, the vibrant green skins with just a hint of fuzz as well as the wagon-wheel innards when you cut them across. I love the mild, slightly woodsy flavor as well as the pop of the seeds in your mouth.  I could eat okra every day, as well as never tire of it. I think it’s heartbreaking that okra gets such a bad rap.  Okra is like the pimply nerd at school–the reject, the Carrie, the Napoleon Dynamite , the Ugly Betty.  The last kid to be chosen on behalf of the baseball team.  The scrawny kid on the beach who gets sand kicked in his face.  The pink-and-too-frilly kid who takes her dad to the prom. The computer geek nobody wants to date so then he quits high school and starts some computer company run from his parents garage as well as redeems himself by becoming the richest guy in America. . . oh, wait.  That would manufacture him Bill Gates, wouldn’t it?  And then he’d actually be much sought after, wouldn’t he? Well, heck! To my mind, that IS okra! [A bit of spice, a bit of bite, a bit of lemon zest: an endearing combination.] I think we should give okra the accolades it deserves. Let’s nurture its low self-esteem. Let’s compliment its grassy hue as well as lovely symmetry, tug its cute little tail at the narrow end as well as manufacture it blush.  Sure, it was born a green vegetable (already at a disadvantage compared to, say, watermelon).  And then there’s the goo factor.  But sometimes, with a recipe that takes our humble ingredient as well as pushes it to be its best, well, that little green lantern can really shine.  That’s what I wish on behalf of my buddy, okra. In these recipes, okra is elevated to something that transcends its reputation. It’s like okra gussied up on behalf of a date.  Okra getting an A+ in physics. Okra at its best self–I know, like okra at the end of taking one of Oprah’s “Be Your Best Self” weekends!  (Just imagine the introductions at that seminar, sort of like David Letterman’s ill-fated attempt at hosting the Oscars:  “Okra, meet Oprah.  Oprah, okra.”). Besides, okra has much to offer us.  Described by WholeHealthMD as having a taste that “falls somewhere between that of eggplant as well as asparagus,” it’s a good source of Vitamin C as well as several minerals; as well as the seeds offer up protein in every pod, in conjunction with 4 grams of both soluble (known to help retain cholesterol levels in check) as well as insoluble (great on behalf of regularity) fiber in a one-cup (240 ml) serving. [Still slightly al dente in this photo; cook a bit longer if you're an okra neophyte.] These are two of my favorite okra dishes, ones that we consume fairly regularly here in the DDD household.  The first is another adaptation from my dog-eared copy of Flip Shelton’s Green, a Moroccan Spiced Okra-Quinoa Pilaf.  I’ve made liberal changes to this one, including altering the base from rice to quinoa.  The spices are subtle with a barely detectable undertone of lemon zest in the mix.  Served sprinkled with chopped nuts, this pilaf is a meal in a bowl all on its own. The second dish comes from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, Indian Cooking Course by Manisha Kanani. Again, I’ve made a few alterations to the original, which asks you to dry-cook the okra on the stovetop; I’ve found that adding chopped tomatoes as well as allowing the tender pods to stew in the juices produces a more appealing taste as well as texture. Although a masala curry, this one isn’t the least bit spicy, yet is still rife with the flavors of tomato, cumin, coriander as well as fresh cilantro. It’s a perfect side dish on behalf of Indian food, of course, but we also enjoy this as an accompaniment to burgers or cooked grains.  So go ahead, give okra a try!  Who knows? You may even like it.  And don’t worry, the secret shall be safe with me. Moroccan-Spiced Pilaf with Quinoa as well as Okra adapted from Flip Shelton’s Green Subtle flavors of warming spices as well as comforting vegetables, this quinoa-based pilaf can be made with any favorite grain.  2 Tbsp (30 ml) additional virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, diced fine 2 medium carrots, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chili flakes 2 tsp (10 ml) ground ginger 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin 1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander 1 cup (240 ml) dry quinoa 1/2 cup (120 ml) green or brown lentils 3-4 cups (720-960 ml) vegetable broth or stock freshly grated zest of one lemon 4 ounces (100 g) okra, washed, trimmed as well as cut into pieces 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 1/2 cup (75 g) roughly chopped cashews or pistachios Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).  Grease a large covered casserole dish. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat; add onion, carrot, garlic, chili flakes, ginger, cumin as well as coriander.  Stir until the vegetables start to soften as well as the spices are fragrant.   Add the quinoa as well as lentils as well as cook on behalf of a few minutes more.  Add the broth, lemon zest as well as okra as well as return to the boil. Remove from heat. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, cover, as well as bake on behalf of 45-50 minutes, until the liquid is mostly absorbed.  Sprinkle with the cilantro as well as nuts before serving.  Makes 4 servings.  May be frozen. Anti-Candida Variation: omit the nuts, or utilize chopped almonds instead. Okra Masala adapted from Indian Cooking Course by Manisha Kanani This is the perfect introduction to those wary of okra: keeping the pods whole prevents the juices from being released, as well as once the okra is cooked it’s not the least bit gooey inside.  Be sure the pods are very soft as well as cooked through (the color shall darken to an olive green) on behalf of best effect. 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground turmeric 1 tsp (5 ml) mild chili powder 1 Tbsp (30 ml) ground cumin 1 Tbsp (30 ml) gorund coriander 1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt 1/4 tsp (1 ml) agave nectar or Sucanat 1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1 Tbsp (15 ml) additional virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cumin seeds 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) black mustard seeds 2 large tomatoes, diced 1 pound (450 g) okra or green beans, or a combination (washed as well as trimmed but not cut) In a small bowl, combine the turmeric, chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, salt, agave, lemon juice as well as chopped cilantro (the mixture will still be fairly dry). Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium heat as well as add the cumin as well as mustard seeds; fry on behalf of about 2 minutes, or until they begin to splutter as well as pop. Add the spice mixture as well as continue to cook on behalf of another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes as well as okra as well as stir to coat well.  Lower heat to simmer, cover, as well as cook until the okra is very tender as well as an estimated all of the moisture from the tomatoes has evaporated, 25-35 minutes. Garnish with more chopped cilantro if desired.  Makes 4 servings.  Anti-Candida Variation: Use 3-5 drops of stevia in place of the agave or Sucanat. Last Year at this Time: Maple-Walnut Cookies © 2009 Diet, Dessert as well as Dogs Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:16:44 -0400 gongzefan