When you find pods that are just too old or too big to really be edible, leave them alone and let them dry out. The pods should be brown and starting to open; at that point, remove them from the plant, slice them open and remove the seeds.Keeping this in view, how do you use okra overgrown?
Cooking Giant Okra Or, slit the pods down the side and stuff them with a bit of cheese or spicy meat mixture (an Indian mixture like kheema would be delicious) and bake at 350 F to 375 F, covered, until everything is wonderfully tender. Continue cooking uncovered until your stuffed okra and add-ons are nicely brown.
Similarly, why is my okra so hard? If they are too difficult to cut, they are too old and should be removed as they will rob the plant of the nutrients it needs to produce new pods. If the pods are tender, use a sharp knife to cut the stem cleanly just below the okra pod.
Moreover, how big should Okra be when you pick it?
about 2 to 3 inches
How do you know when okra is bad?
Tell if okra has gone bad by inspecting the firm green pods -- if they're soft, squishy, brown, throw them away. Be aware that depending on how it's prepared, good okra may take on a slimy texture when cooked, but this doesn't indicate spoilage.
Can you eat okra raw?
The entire okra plant is edible. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like any other greens. Okra pods can even be eaten raw. The less cooked okra is, the better it is for you.Can you eat okra stems?
If you dig “nose-to-tail” veggie eating, this vegetable is for you: the leaves, flowers and seeds are also edible. Young okra greens can be cooked like spinach or beet greens (or eaten raw) and the seeds can even be ground and used as a coffee substitute.Is it safe to eat okra with brown seeds?
Larger okra pods may be overmature and tough with brown seeds inside. Avoid buying okra that looks brown, shriveled, dry or decayed. Those who avoid okra are most likely put off by the slimy, sticky juice concealed inside the pod.How do I cut okra?
Using a sharp paring knife, cut off the pointy end of the pod. Then slice the okra crosswise into evenly spaced rounds about 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) thick each. Slicing okra this way will release more of the gooey substance from the inside of the pods. This can be used to thicken soups and stews such as gumbo.What do you use okra for?
11 Ways to Use Okra - Gumbo. This Louisiana dish is probably what's given okra its slimy reputation—the vegetable is sliced and simmered so all of its goo leaches out.
- Quick vegetable stew.
- Stuffed peppers.
- Pickled.
- Dipped.
- Sautéed.
- Grilled.
- Double fried.
How do you roast okra seeds?
Place okra in a large bowl. Add oil and spices and stir to coat the okra halves. Place okra on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, shaking or stirring the okra at least twice during the roasting time.How do you freeze okra?
For either method, you can also individually quick freeze pods or pieces by placing them on a parchment-lined tray and slipping it into the freezer for a few hours. Once they're frozen, place them into freezer bags. If you plan to fry okra later, after blanching, slice pods crosswise and dredge with cornmeal or flour.How do I know when my okra is ready to pick?
Watch for okra to ripen five to six days after the appearance of flowers. Ripe pods are bright green and firm but tender. If okra is dull green, it is probably too mature, and the quality is most likely compromised. The seeds inside a ripe pod are small.What is the best fertilizer for okra?
Mix 10-10-10 fertilizer into the soil with a shovel before planting to a depth of 4 inches, about 3 ounces for every 100 square feet of area. The numbers on the fertilizer label indicate the percentages of three critical nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.How long can you harvest okra?
Okra reaches maturity in 50 to 65 days. The plants can produce for ten to 12 weeks. It grows and bears seed pods until frost, which quickly turns them black and kills them. Start harvesting a few days after the okra blooms fade.Does okra grow back every year?
Planting: When planting okra in more temperate climates, this perennial plant becomes an annual and must be replanted each year. Okra seeds can be planted in 1” deep hills that are about 18-24” apart. As they begin to grow, thin out the stragglers so the sturdier ones can thrive.What can you not plant with okra?
Peppers repel cabbage worms, which love to feed on young okra foliage. Finally, tomatoes, peppers, beans, and other vegetables are a great food source for stink bugs. Planting okra near these garden crops draws these pests away from your other crops. Not just veggie plants do well as companions for okra.Should you trim okra leaves?
Prune the plant back every few days, removing vine offshoots with pruning shears. Snip the offshoots flush to the branch. Clip the top and sides of the okra into a bush shape once a week.How much okra does a plant produce?
Okra. Grow 6 plants per person. Yield 5 to 10 pounds per 10-foot row. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 2½ to 4 feet apart.What to do after picking okra?
To store okra in the fridge, wrap them in a paper towel or place inside a paper bag, and store in the vegetable drawer. Do not wash fresh okra until you are ready to use it. To freeze okra, blanch the whole pods in boiling water -- dunk them in a pot of boiling water for no more than one minute.What animal eats okra leaves?
Aphids and stinkbugs suck the sap from okra, while corn earworms eat the fruit and leaves and flea beetles chew small holes in the leaves.Why does my okra curl?
Okra does like to be fertilized a couple of times with organic fertilizer, but does not require large amounts of water. Use a handful of compost and organic fertilizer per plant or 3 cups per 25 feet of row. Troubles and Solutions: Curled or crooked pods are usually caused by insects like stink bugs. 
