28 Days of Soul Food: Day 3

Learning to show some respect for Okra, the ancient African vegetable brought over to the New World by my ancestors.

I absolutely hated okra as a kid.

It was slimy and tasteless and wasn’t cute, yet somehow it always wound up on my plate. I’m convinced I was doing it wrong because today I feel completely different about okra.

But back then, everybody was boiling or frying okra. Today’s versions look a lot different; I’ve had it grilled, smoked, flash fried, and pickled to perfection. Also important is knowing its origins.

Award-winning culinary historian Jessica B. Harris — who I had the pleasure of interviewing for a Q&A a few years ago — wrote about okra’s rich African roots and how it’s been around for more than 4,000 years:

“From the continent’s midsection, the plant made its way to Mediterranean shores — first cultivated in Egypt perhaps as long ago as 2000 BC — before winning hearts and stomachs in the Middle East and beyond. It is prized as bhindi, or lady’s fingers, in India.”

She continues, writing about how it’s especially prized “as the thickener for soups and rich gumbo of the type served in South Louisiana.”

Gumbo is awesome, and learning more about how okra is one of the binders necessary for an authentic gumbo is fascinating. That made me respect its purpose and seek out chefs who treated it with respect in their cooking.

Throughout the years, I’ve enjoyed gumbo and similar stews from Southern-focused chefs such as Erick Williams (Virtue Chicago), Brian Jupiter (Ina Mae Tavern), Kwame Onwuachi (Kith and Kin), and Paul Fehribach (Big Jones). They’ve always done such a fine job that the okra never overwhelms the dish, yet you can taste its essence.

Yes, I love it!

[Photo via Cooktoria]