how to cook okra Archives | CaribbeanPot.com

About 12 years ago I shared my original take on Okra With Shrimp, and while that recipe is still very popular, I thought I’d share another version with slight differences with you. One of the most common questions I received after sharing a quick Reel on Instagram was, “can I use pre-cooked shrimp?“. The short answer is yes, however you won’t get much (if any) flavor from them.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs okra (trimmed)
3/4 lb small shrimp (washed, peeled, deveined)
1 lemon (juice)
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 tablespoon salt (divided)
3/4 tablespoon black pepper (divided)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 medium onion (sliced)
5-7 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

Notes! I used an entire Scotch Bonnet pepper in the recipe, but you can use as much as you can handle or leave it out. May I suggest you follow along with the video below as much about the recipe is discussed there. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

Season the cleaned shrimp with 1/3 of the salt, 1/3 of the black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning, Curry powder and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well and set aside as we prep the okra.

In the video I explained that I like to wash the okra (say ochro in the Caribbean) and allow them to air-dry for a bit before prepping. Which includes removing the stems and ends (discard), then cutting each into 1/4 inch pieces.

Using a dry non-stick (explained why in the video) on a medium flame, add the seasoned shrimp, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then remove and set aside.

In the same pan add the remining olive oil and add the okra. Stir well, then add the remaining ingredients.

After about 25 minutes (try to maintain the same heat and stir every 5 minutes or so), the okra should have dark to golden edges and would have lost most of its moisture. As explained in the video, these dark edges bring out a lovely sweetness.

TIP! Use a wide non-stick frying pan to save on having to go heavy with oil and to avoid the okra pieces stacking up. This will create steam, which equals moisture and it will result in slimy okra.

Once you’re happy with the texture and color of the Okra, add the precooked shrimp back to the pan, stir well and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Remember to taste and adjust the salt at the end, to your liking and may I recommend you have some hot Sada Roti on the side with this.

Okra and Tomato Stew.

March 2, 2022February 28, 20223 Comments

I can’t recall which of the French Caribbean islands my friend was from (I’ve been disconnected from him for a few years now, so I can’t ask) but this is a dish he taught me how to make. Okra (say ochro in the Caribbean) in a rich tomato sauce served over steamed rice, with stewed fish.. a dish we made (and enjoyed) during our college days in Hamilton.

You’ll Need…

1 lb okra (cut into 1 cm wheels)
1 can tomato (I used stewed tomatoes)
4 tablespoon veg oil (divided)
1 medium onion (diced)
3-5 cloves garlic (smashed)
4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon pepper flakes
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 1/2 cup chicken stock

Important! Please go though the full list of ingredients if making this gluten free to make sure it meets with your gluten free dietary needs. Especially the stock you use. Speaking about sock, I used Chicken stock, but to keep this vegan / vegetarian, please use vegetable stock.

Wash and air dry the okra, then trim (the ends off) the okra and cut into 1 cm thick wheels.

Heat 3 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a medium heat in a wide pan. Toss in the okra and stir well. The goal is to get the edges brown.

5-7 minutes later, turn the heat down to low and remove the okra. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan, toss in the onion, garlic and thyme. Cook for 3-4 minutes. During this time you may add the black pepper and pepper flakes (leave out if you don’t want the dish spicy).

Create a space in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste and stir well – cook for a minute or two. This will caramelize the natural sugars in the tomato paste and give the dish a lovely sweet undertone.

Add the can of stewed tomato (540ml) and smash the tomato with your spoon to break it down a bit. Add the bay leaf, red wine vinegar and salt. To help balance the flavors, add the brown sugar.

Turn the heat to medium, add the stock, bring it to a boil and reduce to a smimmer for 8-10 minutes.

Now add the pre-cook okra to the pot and bring back to a boil. That okra will absorb all the tomato goodness and plump up. Feel free to remove the thyme stems and discard.

5-6 minutes after adding the okra and it should be done. (cook longer if it’s too runny), taste for salt and adjust accordingly (* chicken stock had a sodium element to it so it was to my liking) and keep in mind that it will thicken further as it cools.

Enjoy on steamed rice! BTW, you can add chunks of your fav fish to this dish if you wanted. Just adjust the seasoning accordingly.

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Seafood

Fry Ochro (okra) with Salted Cod.

April 6, 2019March 25, 2019Leave a Comment

Here’s a redo of a classic Caribbean way of cooking Okra, which I originally share when this blog first started back in 2009. If you recall, back then I mentioned how much I disliked okra (say ochro in the Caribbean) as a young fella growing up on the islands. Funny how your taste-buds change as you get older, especially when you move to a different country where you can get the stuff you had in abundance. Basically when you don’t have something, you realize how much you wish you did or at least gave it a try during those abundant younger years.

You’ll Need…

2-3 lbs okra (sliced)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup prepared salted cod
1 onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (sliced or crushed)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin)

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Heat the oil in a wide pan (use a non stick pan or you’ll need more olive oil) on a med/low flame, then add the pieces of prepared salted cod to the pan. Stir well, reduce the heat to low and cook for 3-5 minutes. Then add the black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, onion and garlic and cook for a further 3-5 minutes.

Trim off the ends and stems of the okra (discard) then slice into 1/2 inch pieces. If you want to prevent most of the ‘slime” that Okra tends to have, you may air-dry the sliced okra for a few hrs in the sun. I didn’t. Turn up the heat to med high at this point and start adding the okra to the pan. Stir well.

Cook with the lid off as we’re not trying to add any moisture to the pan. Stir well.

After about 25 minutes your okra should have golden brown edges and fully cooked. You may check for salt and adjust as I didn’t add any salt. The remaining salt in the salted cod was enough for me. You may also choose to continue cooking until “dried” down (as we say) or as in my case.. I stopped.

Remember to wash your hands immediately after handling scotch bonnet peppers with soap and water.

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Vegan

Amazing Okra Rice Recipe (vegan).

May 28, 2025September 27, 20173 Comments

Here’s another example of a dish mom would prepare during the time I was a kid on the islands we’d (my brother and sisters) never want to touch, yet as an adult I can never get enough. The culprit for our childhood hate? OKRA! The texture and flavors were simply not our thing and we won that battle with mom time and time again. I must confess (as far as I can remember) mom’s version wasn’t as good as the recipe I’m about to share with you (don’t let her know I said so though).

You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (diced)
1 scallion (chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 sprigs thyme
10 saffron (strings)
1 bird’s eye pepper (bird pepper)
1/2 bell pepper (diced)
2 cups jasmine rice
1 cup pumpkin (diced)
12-15 small okra (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust accordingly)
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cups water (adjust to the type of rice you choose to use)

Prep the ingredients.

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy wide pan (with a lid) on a low heat, then add the onion, garlic, black pepper, bird’s eye pepper, scallion, parsley, saffron and thyme. Stir and cook on low for about 3 minutes. Then add the diced pumpkin, along with the bell pepper. Cook another 2 minutes.

Add the rice (don’t wash – I know that’s not what we normally do here on CaribbeanPot) and with the heat on medium, coat the rice with all that wonderful flavors we created and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then it’s just a matter of adding everything else to the pot – salt, coconut milk, water and okra.

Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. As it starts to bubble, drop the heat down to low, cover and allow to cook until the rice is plump and tender… and all the liquid is gone. Depending on the rice you choose to use (yes you can use any rice you like) it will take 15 mins plus.

Do keep in mind that I’m cutting back on the amount of salt I use in dishes, so you may need to adjust. Additionally, if you’re not doing this vegan you can go in with chicken stock instead of the water. If you go that route, be mindful of the sodium level in the stock you use (or the dish can turn out salty). We didn’t wash the rice as we wanted to coat the rice grains with the flavored oil for a lovely ‘nutty’ flavor and a somewhat grainy texture when the dish was completed.

As soon as you turn off the stove, cover the pot and allow the rice to sit without doing anything. After about 20 minutes, uncover and use a fork to fluff.

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Vegetarian

Vegetarian Curry Okra Recipe.

June 23, 2013May 15, 20139 Comments

As a kid I hated the taste and texture of okra (ochro) but I can safely say that it’s now one of my favorite vegetables to use in cooking. Soups and stews is not complete without a few okras in there, but pan frying them is still my choice. Our mom probably gets a good laugh these days when I request fried okra when we visit her and my dad.. back in the day we (my brother and sisters) all refused to partake in anything okra related. Poor woman always had to cook something different for us.

When most people hear the word ‘vegetarian’ attached to a dish they automatically think it’s something bland and just plain ole flavorless. Nothing could be further from the truth with this vegetarian curry okra.

You’ll Need

1 lb okra
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch fresh ground black pepper
1 medium onion diced
3 cloves garlic
2 bird pepper aka birds eye (or 1/4 scotch bonnet)
1 pimento pepper (aka seasoning pepper)
2 tablespoon veg oil
1 tablespoon madras curry powder

Note: Fried okra is notorious for needing a lot of oil (absorbs it) so I recommend using a non stick pan if you can, to eliminate the use for more oil.

Tip: To make sure the cooked okra is not slimy (as it can be) wash, pat dry then remove the stems and cut into desired thickness. Place the cut okra on a cookie sheet in a single layer and allow to air dry for a couple hours. Place in direct sun for even better results.

Dice the onion, garlic, hot pepper and pimento pepper (optional) . Then heat the vegetable oil on medium heat and toss in the diced onion and garlic. Turn the heat down to low and let that cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Now it’s time to add the curry powder and some fresh ground black pepper. The heat should still be on low as we want to toast the curry powder to release it’s flavors and not burn the curry. Let that go for 3 minutes.. be sure to stir. You should start getting that lovely curry aroma.

Add the diced peppers and stir. Turn up the heat to medium and start adding the cut okra to the pot. The idea is to stir-fry the okra in the curry base and here is where you’ll need to personalize this dish a bit. Depending on how ‘cooked’ you like okra, you will have to adjust your cooking time. Do NOT cover the pan as we don’t want steam/moisture to develop as this is another factor for making okra slimy.

I let it cook for about 15 minutes before it was to my liking. At this point I salted the dish (always try to salt okra near the end of cooking so it does not develop moisture.. a tip I got from Cynthia @ http://www.tasteslikehome.org/) and gave it a final stir. You’ll notice how the okra maintained most of it’s brilliant green color, with tasty caramelized edges and the curry base with just delightful.

You’ll love sharing this vegetarian curry okra with your family and friends and there’s enough here for 4-5 people as a side dish. I love having this curry okra with sada roti (sada roti recipe), but it’s also works well as an accompaniment to rice or as any typical vegetable side dish.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Seafood

Fried Okra With Salted Cod.

August 27, 2012August 27, 201215 Comments

Okra or ochro as it’s passionately known in the Caribbean is quickly becoming one of my favorite ingredients to prepare. Gone are the days when our mom couldn’t even beg us to eat fried okra or okra in general. Steamed, fried, stuffed or in stews.. I love me some okra now. I recall my mom always having okra in her small kitchen garden at the back of our home and it was my duty to pick them for making callaloo on a Sunday. That was my only okra intake as a child.. in callaloo. I still recall getting wet by the dew drops on the leaves of the plant before the morning sun came up and how you had to be careful not to brush too much against the plant or you’d have to deal with itchy skin.

You’ll Need…

1lb okra
4 tablespoon Veg Oil
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup salted fish *
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper

Notes: I used salted cod but you can use your fav type of saltfish. Since the flakes of salted fish will still contain some salt, you may not need to add any salt to the dish. However do taste near the end of cooking and adjust accordingly. Remember when working with scotch bonnet (and any hot pepper) that most of the raw heat is in the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds. Discard if you’re concerned about the heat. Cooking okra like this uses a lot of oil, so I used a non stick pan to help cut back on the amount of oil I needed.

Okra is notorious for having a slimy texture and this is what usually turns people off it. This little tip will help you overcome this.. wash and dry the okra with paper towels, then trim off the stems. Cut into 1/4 inch wheels (or any shape you like), then line a cookie sheet with more paper towels or a tea towel and spread the now cut okra onto the cookie sheet. Try to make it one layer, then place in direct sun for a couple hrs to dry off. If you don’t have that wonderful Caribbean sunshine, simply place it in a corner of your kitchen and allow it to air dry for a few hours.

If you’re not sure how to work with salted fish, you must check out this video : How To Prepare Salted Fish Basically you have to place the salted fish in a deep pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Leave for 2-25 minutes on a rolling boil, then drain and rinse off with cool water. Now break apart into flakes or shred. The goal is to remove most of the salt the fish is cured in, rehydrate the fish so it plumps up and to sort of tenderize it a bit.

Heat the oil on a medium heat in a non stick pan and add the shredded salted cod. Reduce to a low heat and allow to cook for about 4-6 minutes. As the pieces of fish starts to crispy up and edges go brown, it’s time to add the sliced onion, scotch bonnet pepper garlic and black pepper. Allow this to cook on a medium heat for a couple minutes. The idea is to create a very flavorful base before we add the sliced okra.

With your heat still on medium, add the now dried okra slices into the pan and give it a good stir. Please don’t cover the pan.. we don’t want to add any moisture to the pan or risk it going slimy.

Here’s where you can personalize the dish. I like my fried okra with a little crunch but the edges must be browned, so I allowed mine to cook for 20 minutes but you can certainly cook longer or less time. After 20 minutes I topped with the tomato (please remove all seeds and liquid before dicing) and gave it a good stir. Basically the tomato is to brighten up the dish, so 2 minutes of cooking and the fried okra should be done. The last couple minutes is when you should taste for salt and adjust accordingly. It’s important to add salt near the end of cooking when working with okra as it will also cause moisture to develop and you really don’t want that.

I could honestly have this for breakfast. lunch or dinner.. give me some brown rice, roti or flour dumplings and I’m cool as a cucumber. This fried okra recipe is a HIT and I’m sure you’ll change your thoughts o okra after you’ve given it a try.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Seafood

Fry Okra With Shrimp.

July 5, 2012July 5, 201216 Comments

Fry okra with shrimp is fairly new to me, but according to my Guyanese friends it’s a popular dish in the traditional Guyanese home. This fry okra with shrimp is a recipe which was passed on to me to try by someone with Guyanese roots and I do hope I do it justice. Over the years my appreciation for okra (ochro as we tend to also call it in the Caribbean) has heightened so when the recipe was shared with me I can’t tell you how excited I was to give it a try. Many moons later and I can safely say it’s one of my favorite okra recipes.

You’ll Need…

1 lb okra
medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 scallions (green onions)
3 tablespoon veg oil
1 lb shrimp (cleaned / deveined)
2-3 tablespoons celery leaves

Notes: When using scotch bonnet peppers or any hot peppers, do wear gloves, wash your hands with soap and water after handling and if you’re concerned about the raw heat.. don’t include any seeds or membrane surrounding (whitish area) the seeds. This is where the real heat in hot peppers are.

Tips: to avoid the okra being overly slimy, wash, pat dry, slice.. then place on a cookie sheet or large plate and place in the sun to dry a bit. Or at least allow to air dry for a couple hours in your kitchen. Additionally, add the salt near the very end of cooking as the salt will draw-out the moisture and cause to go slimy.

As I mentioned above (see tips), there’s a way to prevent the cut okra from being overly slimy, but I was in a bit of a rush and skipped this step. All I did was wash the okras, pat dry with paper towels, then sliced. Remember to remove the stem and end tips and discard.

Next up you’ll have to chop the scallions, onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper and celery leaves.

Peel and devein your shrimp.. wash clean and chop into small pieces. I had medium sized shrimp, so I simply cut in half. Here’s a short video showing how to peel and devein shrimp (remember you can now purchase shrimp that’s fully cleaned at many supermarkets):

With everything ready, it’s time to cook. Add the vegetable oil into a heavy pan, then add the chopped ingredients (not the shrimp yet). Please also add the black pepper to the mix. Cook that for a couple minutes on low heat to really bring out the flavors.

Now it’s time to add the shrimp pieces and cook on med heat for 2-3 minutes. Here is where you now have 2 options. 1. You can remove the shrimp at this point and set it aside.. then add the final 2 minutes of cooking (to avoid overcooking the shrimp). Or 2. I simply kept the shrimp in the pot and added the cut okra to it. Keep stirring often as it can start to stick to the bottom of the pot/pan (why we started off with so much oil).

Allow the fry okra with shrimp to cook for about 7-10 minutes uncovered. You will start to see slightly browned edges on the okra… that’s the best part of this dish (my humble opinion) Now add the salt, give it a good stir (remember to add back the cooked shrimp at this point if you removed them earlier) and you’re done.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

how to cook okra

Fry Ochro (Okra) With Shrimp.

Okra and Tomato Stew.

Fry Ochro (okra) with Salted Cod.

Amazing Okra Rice Recipe (vegan).

Vegetarian Curry Okra Recipe.

Fried Okra With Salted Cod.

Fry Okra With Shrimp.

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