Green Okra Delivery or Pickup

Although most people call green okra a vegetable, it's actually a fruit from the hibiscus family. It's the light green seed pod of an okra plant, and it's most commonly eaten sliced, though eating it whole is an exceptional experience. Farmers and stores sell fresh okra by the pound in the U.S. during the summer. It becomes pricey in the winter months, though, because it's imported. 

Green okra is known as Lady's Fingers in some parts of the world because of its tube-like, slender shape. The plant is native to Ethiopia, and settlers and enslaved peoples brought it to North America centuries ago. The okra plant is at home in hot, humid climates like those in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, and Mexico. It's grown in Florida and other southeastern U.S. states as well. Southern, Caribbean, and Indian cuisines use okra as a staple in gumbo and stew.

When choosing green okra, a good rule of thumb is the smaller, the better. As the pods grow, they get tougher, so bright green, small pods do best in the kitchen. The ideal length is between 2 and 3 inches, and the pods should be firm to the touch. 

If they're squishy or turning brown, the okra has gone bad. While the ripeness of okra is important for your dish, it's equally important to avoid overripe okra. Big okra pods are fibrous, almost woody, and unpleasant to chew. They also lack the flavor we expect from green okra because as the plant and pods mature, their sugars break down into starches to feed the seeds, preparing for reproduction. 

The sooner you use okra, the better. It won't stay fresh for long in the fridge, but it should stay good for up to three days, tightly wrapped, or stored in an air-tight container. Fresh okra that's ready to eat preserves well frozen. After washing and trimming the pods, you'll want to blanch them before freezing. Using a gallon of water for every pound of okra, boil the pods for around 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the pod. Package the okra in a freezer bag, label, and freeze. It will last a few months this way. 

In the southern U.S., another preservation method, and pantry staple, is pickled okra. There are three types of okra pickle: a fridge pickle, quick pickle, or a hot pack canning pickle. Pack prepped okra into clean jars, cover them with a hot brine made from vinegar, sugar, and water, and toss the jars in the fridge to make a fridge pickle. This type of pickled okra will last for a few months so long as the seal on the can remains unbroken. 

Hot pack canning involves specific equipment like a pressure canner, but a quick pickle is a straightforward way to keep okra for another week or two.