Okras are slimy. That’s its natural tendency. But that should not refrain you from making a delicious dish. There are multiple techniques to manage slimy okra.
Let’s see how you too can cut the sliminess of an okra in your kitchen.
Preheat your pan:
Always add your okra in a hot pan. The heat should sear the okra rather than stewing it.
Use high heat:
Sauté or stir-frying okra on a high heat reduces the time when it releases its mucilage.
Avoid overcooking:
Overcooking is a big-time No-No. It increases the sliminess. Cook it until this turns tender and then stop the process. It wouldn’t allow the okra to release slime.
Add acidic substance:
Adding acidic substances like lemon juice or vinegar cut down the sliminess.
Dry the okra:
Pat the okra dry with a paper towel before cooking. Excess moisture can increase sliminess.
Cut the okra:
Slicing okra into smaller pieces and cooking it on high flame can really make a difference in releasing slimes.
Use cornstarch or flour:
Using a pinch of cornstarch or flour on okra just before cooking can absorb some of the mucilage.
Blanching:
If you are cooking whole okra (not cut into pieces), a brief blanching can help reduce the mucilage. Just boil it for a minute or two, followed by a quick transfer to ice water. It should stop the cooking instantly.
Cook with other ingredients:
You might have noticed that when you cook okra with other veggies, these are less tending to release mucilage. That’s the catch. Cooking okra with other vegetables or in dishes like stews or curries can help distribute the sliminess and make it less noticeable.
Conclusion:
If you follow these techniques, you will never encounter a slimy okra. Just choose which one you need to follow according to your recipe.
Read other Kitchen Hacks here.