The magical nature of Okra

me searching for okra Vesterbro, Copenhagen photo courtesy of Intisar Abioto

Okra is one of those fruits (yes, it's a fruit because it has seeds!) that you either love or hate. From the moment I first discovered the plant in my grandmother's garden on Emerald Drive in Diamond Vale Trinidad, I was hooked. It's a relative to the hibiscus plant and legend has it that it first came to the so-called New World as seeds hidden in a a female slave's hair. Okra, lady fingers, bindi - can be found all over the world, much like the African diaspora. I don't know what it is about this plant that speaks to my soul so - maybe because the word itself means soul in the Asanti spiritual system or not- but one of the best ways for me to smooth my longing for home i.e. at my grandmother's side, is by cooking okra. To be honest, I feel like this plant is in my DNA. 

One of my earliest memories besides discovering this beautiful plant in my grandmother's garden is coming home from school in Trinidad and finding my grandmother, Mommy Hildred in the kitchen.  She was a consummate cook - and always stressed the importance of a vegetable-based diet over that of meat. She made aloe pies (potato pies), pizza, curry everything, shepherd's pie, calaloo, cuckoo, stewed chicken, pelau and my favorite okra and rice. 

For my grandmother and many other Trinidadian's, the secret to a good dish is the green seasoning. Like kimchi, every family has their own variation of seasoning and a lot of the times it's pretty much up to what you can find. 

Portland Oregon photographer Intisar Abioto on her not so long -ago trip to Copenhagen
photo courtesy of Intisar Alioto

One of my all-time favorite dishes to come home to was her okra and rice and as I get older I find myself returning to the dishes of my childhood more and more. This culinary adventure leads me to the Middle Eastern or Chinese markets here where you're surrounded by a diverse group of folks and vegetables and fruits. At the markets here - whether it's behind the Central Main Station or in the outskirts of Nørrebro where there is a plethora of Middle Eastern markets like Istanbul Bazar (Federiksborgvej 17)- you can find okra, hot pepper (scotch bonnet), coconut milk, ginger, scallion, pumpkin, caralli (bitter lemon), gingee, bodi, plantain, melongen (eggplant)- okay you get the picture.  

Seeing these fruits and vegetables from my childhood certainly makes me feel more at home here. 

On a summer day not so long ago, I made this dish for Sarita Covington of Company Cypher and Emily Berry - both of B3W Performance Group, both of whom I conducted a Forgiveness Workshop with at Copenhagen City School. Joining us was Covington's partner, musician Stephen Kammerer and their beautiful daughter Sunshine. It's been ages since Sarita requested this recipe from me, and today, with the gray Danish winter sky looming outside my window, seems like no better time to post the recipe - while I make a giant pot in celebration of Leah's 2nd birthday - another special little girl with whom I get to share my life with. Bon appetit! 

Okra and Rice

okra and rice

1- 1 1/2 cup of chopped okra (fresh or frozen)

1 cup of rice (basmati)

Green seasoning (see link above)

Olive or coconut oil

1 can of coconut milk

1 cup of water

1 scotch bonnet pepper

Salt to taste

Cover the bottom of the pot with oil and heat. Add green seasoning and salt. As it heats, add okra and rice and stir around a bit. Then add 1 can coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Add scotch bonnet pepper whole. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked. 

Should serve 4! 

Enjoy! 

marvel from Mars, 

Lesley-Ann