Information about Lady Finger (Okra)

1. Ladyfinger which is flowering plant in the mallow family also know as okra. It is a common food plant with high medicinal value in tradition medicines. Nutritional contents of this wonderful plant are thiamin, riboflavin, folic acid, Vitamin 6, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese, Niacin, Iron, Zinc and Copper, Protein and High in Dietary Fiber.Okra is good natural treatment for weight loss and to maintain optimum health. Information about Lady Finger (Okra)

2. The name "okra", most often used in the United States and the Philippines, is of West African origin and is cognate with "ọ́kụ̀rụ̀" in Igbo, a language spoken in Nigeria.[2] Okra is often known as "Lady's Fingers" outside of the United States.[3] In various Bantu languages, okra is called "kingombo" or a variant thereof, and this is the origin of its name in Portuguese ("quiabo"), In the United Kingdom it is often called as "bhindi", from its Hindi name "bhindi" or "bhendi".

3. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins. Supporters of a South Asian origin point to the presence of its proposed parents in that region.It is most popular in Pakistan and India, where chopped pieces are stir fried with spices, pickled, salted or added to gravy-based preparations like Bhindi Ghosht or sambar. In western parts of India (Gujarat, Maharashtra), okra is often stir-fried with some sugar.

4. The leaves are 10–20cm long and broad, palmately lobed with 5–7 lobes. The flowers are 4–8cm diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base of each petal. The fruit is a capsule up to 18cm long, containing numerous seeds. Lady Finger is cultivated throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world for its fibrous fruits or pods containing round, white seeds. It is among the most heat- and drought-tolerant vegetable species in the world—but severe frost can damage the pods and will tolerate poor soils with heavy clay and intermittent moisture. Description of Lady Finger (Okra)

5. In cultivation: The seeds are soaked overnight prior to planting to a depth of 1–2cm.Germination occurs between six days (soaked seeds) and three weeks. Seedlings require ample water. The seed pods rapidly become fibrous and woody and must be harvested within a week of the fruit being pollinated to be edible.The fruits are harvested when immature and eaten as a vegetable.

6. 1:Okra flower bud and immature seed pod 2:Okra plant while flowering before the fruit emerges. 4:Lady's finger 3:Okra seed pod

7. Nutritional Value:The following chart itself explains the nutritional value of the Lady's finger or Okra:1:It is low in Sodium, Saturated Fat and Cholesterol, thus, an ideal diet for human consumption2:High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese, Protein, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc and Copper.

8. Health Check:1:The Lady Finger is popular for its diuretic properties. It has been used in the treatment of urinary tract infections for many years now and in many countries of the world.2:Lady Finger is a very valuable source of nutrition. It can help with the following health conditions:1. It helps relieve constipation2. It helps control blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.3. It helps in healing acid reflux4. It contains soluble fibre which helps in controlling the cholesterol level in our bodies.5. It contains insoluble fiber too which keeps the intestinal track healthy.6. Lady Finger helps in reducing risks of deadly diseases like cancer

9. Lady Fingers Nutrition (half-cup cooked Lady Finger) contains:* Calories : 25 * Dietary Fiber : 2 grams * Protein : 1.5 grams * Carbohydrates : 5.8 grams * Vitamin A : 460 IU * Vitamin C : 13 mg * Folic acid : 36.5 micrograms * Calcium: 50 mg * Iron : 0.4 mg * Potassium : 256 mg * Magnesium : 46 mg

10. Okra Vendaka Masala Pachchadi Recipe: : 1) Lady Finger 800 gm 2) Cashew nuts 15 gm 3) Coconut milk 60 ml 4) Coriander powder 15 gm 5) Cumin (zeera) seeds 2.5 gm 6) Curry leaves 10 7) Grated coconut 1/3 cup 8) Groundnut oil to deep fry 9) Mustard (sarson) seeds 1 tsp 10) Onions, chopped 125 gm 11) Red chilli powder 1 tsp 12) Red chillies, whole 3 13) Salt to taste 14) Tomatoes, chopped 1 cup 15) Turmeric (haldi) powder 2.5 gm 16) Lentils (urad daal) husked and split 4 tsp 17) Yogurt 120 gm

11. 1. Wash, pat dry and cut the okra into 1 inch pieces. 2. Heat the groundnut oil in a Sauspan and deep fry the okra on medium heat till crisp, about 5-6 minutes. 3. Drain and reserve the oil. 4. Put the cashew nuts and the coconut in a blender, add coconut milk and make a fine paste. 5. Heat 75 ml of the reserved oil. 6. Add cumin and mustard seeds, urad daal, whole red chillies and the curry leaves. 7. Keep it over medium heat till the seeds begin to crackle. 8. Add onions. Keep frying till golden brown. 9. Stir in the tomatoes, then add red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and salt. 10. Keep stirring till the fat surfaces. 11. Reduce the flame, add the coconut paste and stir again for 2 minutes. 12. Remove from the fire and add yogurt. 13. Stir, add 400 ml/1 2/3 cups water. 14. Return to heat and begin to boil. Simmer. 15. Add the deep fried okra and cook till gravy seeps in. 16. Transfer to a shallow dish and serve with boiled rice.

12. Final Dish: