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Post by hedgeapple on Jun 3, 2022 16:29:57 GMT -6
Our friend macmex was kind enough to mail me some AfricanX seeds last November. I've been waiting impatiently since then to get them into the ground. Very excited to see what they do this summer.
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Post by macmex on Jun 20, 2022 14:12:46 GMT -6
Well, I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get any okra in the ground this year. Friday I started some Stewarts Zeebest and AfricanX in damp paper towels, telling myself that I had better get the rows ready before this seed went bad. It worked too. I worked like crazy, even when it was crazy hot (taking breaks, of course) and got two 90' rows prepared. I'm using plastic mulch and drip tape, like Ron does. Last night, as the sun was setting, I had soaked the soil and now was the moment of truth. The seeds were sprouting and I needed to plant them.
As I knelt to begin I heard a high pitched sound and suddenly realized that a "bazillion mosquitoes" were about to dine on me, so I got the repellent and prepared for battle. A little over an hour, later I looked like I'd been crawling through muddy trenches on some battle field. It was nearly impossible to see what color my jeans were before ... the mud. Clouds of mosquitoes hovered around me, but thankfully only a few dared to try getting through the repellent. I had my seeds planted! At the ends of each row I planted a few peppers and eggplant.
Here's a photo I took this morning, looking from the far end of the garden, toward the house.
I had off work today and the humidity has been much lower than what it had been. I managed to finish laying the plastic mulch for my last row of sweet potatoes. I always feel that preparation is 95% of the time and work. Planting is a snap after all that work.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jul 8, 2022 16:36:06 GMT -6
AX is coming along.
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Post by macmex on Jul 9, 2022 16:16:05 GMT -6
Here are some photos of my okra, taken today. Both varieties were sown as sprouting seed in June 17. They're looking good.
AfricanX
Stewarts Zeebest
I have increasing grasshopper pressure but so far they have ignored my okra. Have also noticed a sharp increase in predatory insects such as praying mantis' and robber flies. Hope they can stay on top of things!
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Post by woodeye on Jul 9, 2022 17:46:16 GMT -6
My first instinct is to be jealous of you guy's okra plants. But I'm not, I'm happy for you. Okra has been a beloved vegetable of mine all my life. Okra, cowpeas, and squash are my top 3.
I will have some pictures of okra plants to post next year, it's my mission. When that mission is complete, I will delve into frying okra similar to the okra my mom fried. I have never found anyone that could fry okra as good as she did, but by golly I'm gonna give it my best shot...
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Post by hmoosek on Jul 9, 2022 19:57:08 GMT -6
We fry foods a bit differently than some do. A lot of people use cornmeal for okra, squash, fish, etc.; but my Mom never does that. She uses seasoned flour. That’s how I grew up. I’m not opposed to using cornmeal, but it has to be whirled into corn flour in the Oskar. I just don’t want to feel like I’m eating sand. We season our flour well, add items to coat then fry. I don’t use a wet mixture to make the flour stick either. Flour sticks fine on its own, plus I like a light batter not a thick batter. Oh my goodness don’t get me started on those cafes that serve chicken fried steak with more batter than steak! We don’t use a gallon of oil either. A 3/8” of oil in a cast iron skillet will fry darn near most anything. Of course if your frying chicken you need a bit more, but steak, fish and vegetables don’t need that much grease.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jul 9, 2022 21:46:54 GMT -6
I have never found anyone that could fry okra as good as she did, but by golly I'm gonna give it my best shot... Sounds like a worthy endeavor to me!
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Post by woodeye on Jul 10, 2022 1:01:05 GMT -6
The last time my mom fried okra for me was in 2009. She passed away in 2010, but this is the way I remember her frying it. She used one of those long Presto Electric skillets. I'm like you, moose, I don't care for the generic wet coating that is so often put on okra.
She used 2/3 flour and 1/3 cornmeal for the coating, with some salt added. Not a lot of salt though. The natural juices of okra make the breading stick. She always used Crisco, either the white or the butter flavor. Just enough Crisco so that the okra fries good.
I do not know if she left the lid on the skillet at first or not. I also don't know the temperature she fried it at. That will take some experimentation on my part.
I remember seeing her dabbing the fried okra once it was done, with paper towels. My little brother and I liked it best if it was super crunchy, so she fried it that way at our insistence.
I know how she prepared the okra for freezing because she led me through this once upon a time. Wash the okra, then dry it. Slice the okra as normal. Coat the okra with the coating I described above.
Spread the breaded okra out on a cookie sheet, put the cookie sheet in the oven @ 225° for 20 minutes. This blanches it with the coating already on it. If you have a lot to prepare, use 2 cookie sheets and let one cool off while the other one is the oven. Repeat as necessary.
Lastly, she bagged it in ziploc bags and put it in the freezer. I don't know if she thawed the okra before frying it, but again I'll experiment with that.
I have had people tell me that blanching okra for freezing is not necessary, but that is the way my mom did it and that's the way I'm gonna do it...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2022 2:58:32 GMT -6
** Runs out and fertilizes the okra at 4am **
Ya'll making me hungray for fried okreh!!
I agree the pre cook okra isn't necessary, but I want to know if I'm missing anything so I should try it if I have time. I lay the breaded okra pieces onto the cookie sheet with some breathing room. Then I place the cookie sheet in the frig's freezer in front of the fan. Flash freeze. When they're frozen, into the bag they go. I take them out and fry them up as needed. We don't usually eat them as a side dish, but eat them as a snack like popcorn.
I prefer the finer flours: 1 part flour to 1 part masa harina
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Post by woodeye on Jul 10, 2022 6:11:41 GMT -6
The way you freeze it is fine, bon. I just want to freeze okra like she did so I won't look back at some I have fried and think, "it's still not like mom's, maybe I should have oven blanched it".
I've never tried the masa harina flour you spoke of on okra, I bet that would be good. I will experiment with that too.
Fried okra is the main course for me, with a side of purple hull peas, and squash...
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Post by hedgeapple on Jul 10, 2022 9:09:22 GMT -6
Good grief, y'all are making me hungry. lol
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Jul 10, 2022 11:48:16 GMT -6
This thread has some wonderful dialog, I've really enjoyed reading of these various methods, and appreciate the free sharing of family recipes. That's what it's all about.
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Post by macmex on Jul 18, 2022 13:44:10 GMT -6
Well, amid many difficulties okra is a bright spot in my garden, this year. AfricanX and Stewarts Zeebest keep advancing. Nothing is bothering them either!
I notice that Stewarts is more robust at the start. Generally, by fall, AfricanX looks much better and more robust.
Here's a typical AfricanX at one month since sowing.
Here's a typical Stewarts Zeebest plant.
Yesterday I did get to eat my first pod of home grown okra for 2022. I have a volunteer plant of Stewarts Zeebest growing between the rows. Had to cut off a few old, tough pods, but one was quite tender and made a good snack.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jul 20, 2022 13:02:03 GMT -6
Looks like AX is thinking about putting on a flower.
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Post by hedgeapple on Jul 23, 2022 7:38:07 GMT -6
Here we go!
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