I dare say you either love or hate okra. Everyone I know either loves it or hates it, and that is enough of a focus group based experiment for me to deduce that you will be in one of these categories too. Either way is fine by me – I’m always going to want you to love my food, but on the flip side – you hate it and there’s more for me. Win win, you see.

It does have a bit of a different texture though. You see, okra pods are mucilaginous, which translates to them getting a bit of a gelatinous texture once cooked. I have also heard this texture described as slimy, but I feel gelatinous is a little more upmarket so that’s what I’m going with.

I’m all about the textures though so this works for me.

BRAISED OKRA WITH TOMATO AND SPICES

(serves 8 – 10 as part of a feast)

1 kg okra
1 brown onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon savoury BBQ rub (I used Big Red Brand “Pig Red Rub” which also has a little hot kick too)
1x 400 g tin diced tomatoes
Salt
Olive oil

Trim the stalk from the okra and cut into 3-4 cm pieces. Smaller okra can be cut into half.
Heat a good splash of olive oil in a pot over medium flame.
Add onion and cook out for 2 minutes until starting to soften.
Add garlic and cook out for another minute.
Add okra and BBQ rub and cook out for another minute.
Add tomatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes or until okra is soft but not mushy.
Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Get it on the table as part of a feast with any and all of your Southern faves.