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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2019 21:51:53 GMT -5
I think li have posted about drying tomatoes.
Now my daughter tells me that she has been buying Okra chips for the grands. She says that the kids eat them like potato chips, but that they are nothing but dried okra with flavoring added.
Anyone know anything about drying Okra?
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Post by pepperhead212 on Oct 3, 2019 23:08:21 GMT -5
I tried drying okra in a dehydrator, but it was sort of hard - the dried kind that is fried is better. Maybe drying it at a higher temp would be better, too.
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Post by brownrexx on Oct 4, 2019 7:36:55 GMT -5
Never tried it.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2019 8:40:01 GMT -5
Pepperhead; The only recipe I could find that spoke directly to dried okra suggested roasting in an oven for 10-15 minutes, then drying for hours at 150F. I will keep looking---Okra is about gone for this year anyway.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Oct 4, 2019 9:43:18 GMT -5
@oxankle2 The roasting sounds like it might be the key to that method - it cooks them, then dries them.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2019 21:06:02 GMT -5
Pepperhead: We have learned to LIKE them roasted, so once they get in the oven they are unlikely to be left to dry.
I looked at my okra today and I suspect I picked the last I'll get this season. Always next year ton look forward to.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Oct 4, 2019 21:39:26 GMT -5
I have a feeling that I got my last okra today, or close to it; though there are still quite a few out there, I'm wondering if they will be full size.
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Post by carolyn on Oct 5, 2019 6:30:48 GMT -5
the dried "chips" might be freeze dried. then it would have a totally different texture than dehydrated.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2019 21:05:59 GMT -5
I cannot help thinking that that the "chips" the daughter buys must be cooked and then dried. I cannot imagine anyone eating raw okra, dried or not.
I can testify that okra, oiled, seasoned and roasted in an oven is habit forming. I will dry some next year just to test the theory.
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reubent
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Post by reubent on Oct 12, 2019 19:18:58 GMT -5
I eat raw okra right off the plant, it's good stuff. We've dried a lot of it when we were picking it so fast there was no way we could keep up with eating it. Reconstituted and stirfried with a little corn meal it's just as good as fresh.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 16, 2019 11:08:10 GMT -5
Small tender pods are good right off the plant.
Never tried eating dried okra, though.
I have heard of drying okra and then grinding it to a powder, which is then used as a thickener in soups, stews, etc.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2020 17:40:53 GMT -5
Laura: Are you saying what Reubent said, that you eat raw okra right off the plant?
Never heard of that, but I suppose small, tender pods could be eaten that way. Lol, around here not even bugs eat raw okra.
LOL, funny the things we think of when gardening time gets close.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 13, 2020 13:39:51 GMT -5
Yes, it's perfectly good raw, straight off the plant. The first time I tried raw okra was out of curiosity after reading that it's good raw. You need a tender variety; for raw eating I am partial to the slender, round types with no ridges like Emerald. Pick them extra-young. They have a nice crunchy texture, and taste much the same as cooked okra, but with a little "greener" flavor.
I still like okra better cooked, but if you're in the garden, and you're hungry, try snapping off some pods for a snack. A few nice sweet snacking peppers and a handful of grape tomatoes are the perfect accompaniment.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2020 20:11:15 GMT -5
Lordy Me; I cannot do that. I am deathly allergic to uncooked peppers, but I can eat a dozen stuffed and baked. The only tomatoes I will eat in the garden are yellow pear. LOL, I'd eat Brandywine and Better boy, but they will drip down you chin if you try one in the garden. I lie; I like all the tomatoes, but I won't eat them in the garden, except for yellow pear.
I'm going to try the raw okra though at the moment the thought makes me gag.
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Post by september on Jan 14, 2020 8:36:09 GMT -5
Well, the back of a sleeve, or even a bare arm will take care of that! Although I do admit, that usually four-bite small to medium tomatoes are close to my size limit for garden snacking. Any bigger, and it's more satisfying to see them sliced!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 14, 2020 9:28:19 GMT -5
Yeah, I usually only eat little tomatoes that I can pop in my mouth whole when I am in the garden. I don't like the sticky face and hands after biting into a larger tomato. To each their own.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jan 14, 2020 10:06:35 GMT -5
I have only tried the raw okra a couple of times - ok, but nothing I got hooked on. Cherry tomatoes are my go to for garden snacks, with maybe a habanero to top things off.
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Post by paulf on Jan 14, 2020 12:08:41 GMT -5
Some day I may have to give okra another try. What is that saying? Doing something over and over and expecting a different outcome?
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 14, 2020 12:32:22 GMT -5
paulf, I am not going to encourage that given your past comments on okra. I mean, sure, if you're motivated, I won't try to discourage you from trying okra again. But I strongly doubt that okra, raw or cooked, is going to provide you with a culinary epiphany at this point.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jan 14, 2020 15:58:56 GMT -5
paulf I think Andrew Zimmern finally found some durian that he liked, after 5 previous times when he couldn't stand it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2020 21:59:28 GMT -5
Because of this thread, I tried some freeze dried okra from the bulk bins at a local store. It as a bit odd, tasted very green and crisp, but okay.
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Post by Hensaplenty on Jan 21, 2020 8:14:14 GMT -5
Trader Joe's has it in prepackaged bags. I tried it and like it. The pods were whole but small.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2020 12:50:31 GMT -5
I tried a smaller amount each time from the store. The first time I ate the first one, it was ...odd, but okay. I think just because of the change in texture, being crispy. But they do make a good "crunchy" thing to nibble on and were good also with a dab of onion dip.
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Post by paulf on Jan 22, 2020 14:51:04 GMT -5
My gosh Imp, my two most unfavorite things together in one bite! The awful Os...okra AND onion. Too much for my sensitive stomach to bear.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2020 17:47:40 GMT -5
LOL, Paul, I DID pretty much cover it all for you, didn't I?!!!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2020 16:37:16 GMT -5
Imp? Are you telling us that you ate raw, freeze dried okra with onion dip? If so, I might get nerve enough to try it, but right now, ummmmm, NO! Now, roasted, then dried I'd eat it in a heartbeat. I'll have a row or two of it again this Summer.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2020 9:50:04 GMT -5
Yes, I had some onion dip and it was pretty good that way. Raw freeze dried okra, yes.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2020 13:45:38 GMT -5
LOL, I'll try it but right now my imagination says "ROAST IT FIRST!"
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2020 18:03:08 GMT -5
The okra I had freeze dried, tasted very green, much like the first green beans picked and nibbled raw will taste green. The crunch was nice, though because of the freeze drying, it shattered easily. If that helps at all.
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