Smyrna times., 1905-09-06
THE VALUE OF OKRA
AN IMPORTANT FOOD PLANT THAT
is MUCH NEGLECTED..
It's Nutrttive Properties Are Very
High and 1t is Particularly Bene-
fetal In Cases of Chronic Indiges-
LONESOME Simple Recipes.

LONESOME Simple Recipes.
Okra is n very important and useful
plant, with numerous uses, the most
important being for the table. The
green pods without doubt make the
finest soup vegetable supplied by the
garden. Cooked whole they also fur
nish a palatable side dlsn.' The nu-
TRENT properties Of okra are very high.
and it has the additional advantage of
being an exceedingly wholesome arti-
Gle of food. 1t is enormously called
gumbo in many cook books and even
in some encyclopedias. The name Of
the plant and its fruit is okra. GumbO
is a general term for various kinds of
soup made of it. Ollra. in fact, is an
excellent food much neglected.
A very important consideration from
the alimentary point of view is the un-
usually high percentage of digestible
matter. That fact had been establish
ed by common experience long before
any analysis of the pod had been
thought of. for wherever the vegeta
BILE is in use it is well known that the
soup is highly beneficial to persons
with weak stomachs. Often it will be
retained when nothing else can be TAX
en-, and it has in many cases restored
tone to digestive organs that seemed
hopelessly disordered. 1t is a partic-
ularly beneficial food in cases of dys-
entery and chronic indigestion.
The dried seeds, parched and ground,
are said to make an acceptable sub
stitute for coffee. A substitute for ar
rowroot can be made from the roots.
| The leaves, green or dry, are used, de-
cocted, for their demulcent properties.
| The inner bark, soft and white, con-
tains a strong fiber resembling fax.
The outer bark is also fibrOus and, to-
gether with the woody part of the
plant, furnishes excellent paper stock
| AS Okra is easily raised, it can be cul-
tivated with profit.
/ or table use the pods must be cut
while tender, generally when about
three inches long. They grow rapidly
and soon become woody. The plant is
very prolific, and it will continue to
bear until touched by frost. A small
| patch will more than meet the require
ments of an ordinary family, and the
surplus may be preserved for winter
use by two convenient methods. The
easier is by drying Slice the pod,
crossways, into sections quarter of
an inch thick. spread thin on large
dishes or trays and expose to the sun
from day to day until thoroughly dried
Put in jars or close cans and keep
free from moisture. The other method
of preservation is by canning, which
will be explained later on. The plant
is foliacious and ornamental enough
for the flower garden. The leaves are
large and palmatisected, and the bios
SONS, which in form resemble those Of
the hollyhock, are at first a brillian
gold, with a purple disk. After th'
first day the gold also takes a purplisl
hue
Here are some of the best recipes fo
cooking okra: Okra soup-Take ;
piece of beef or a marrow bone, pu
on in cold water and boil until cooked
Slice one quart of okra pods croSsway
into thin sections and add, with enougl
strained ripe tomatoes to give the SOU
q rich color. Continue to boil unit
the okra is thoroughly cooked, whicl
will take about fifteen minutes.
green pepper, from which the seed
have been removed, sliced and added
will improve the flavor. The variou
gumbos, chicken, fish or crab, are mad
in the same manner.
An excellent soup can be made with
out meat by boiling the okra, slice
as above, and adding when cooked
good sized piece of butter Other veg,
tables, such as carrots, onions an
celery, may also be used, but lovers G
Okra prefer 1t straight Soup made d
above will keep in a cool place for Sc,
e eral days and improve with age
g A savory dish for lunch or dinner
| made in the following manner: Butte
r pudding dish, put in layer of cool
9 ed or half cooked rice, layer of slice
: okra, a layer of ripe sliced tomatOe
= butter, pepper, salt and a little sug;
IL thC dClO VI bIc Dt ODJe
: tionable; repeat the layers until ii
y dish is filled; CRATE breadcrumbs c
II top, with pieces of butter; pour in
e much boiling water as the dish w
q hold; bake long enough to cook; SER
= hot.
Okra also makes a palatable veget
Dle dish, but in this form it is not
ways acceptable on first acquaintanC
l. Its substance is viscous, and for tn
reason probably does not at once ca
l. tivate the taste. Put the pods, who
t. into boiling water, with salt; b
\: about fifteen minutes or until cooke
n. pour off the water, place in hot dis
~ add pepper and plenty of good butt'
{ serve hot. Cooked in this way. treat
- with good vinegar and served cold,
makes good salad.
r; ANY housewife can do her own cs
\ n{nor oP ohm GIfoa md hniI fAo ~,