Okra is high in soluble fibre, and as it ages, the okra generates a sort of slimy mucus on the outside of the okra pod. This cooked texture should not be confused with the texture of slimy or sticky uncooked okra. As many cooking processes will render the okra having a ‘sticky’ or ‘slimy’ texture. Once cooked, okra can be difficult to identify as spoiled. However, okra that has turned after cooking will smell pungent and is likely to leave you feeling nauseous if you smell it too deeply. SmellĬooked okra that is safe to eat will smell something like asparagus-eggplant/aubergine and just a little bit like hibiscus. The other significant point is that the okra itself will easily tear apart it will lose its structural integrity and fall apart with the lightest of touches. The first sign is a light film or mucus spreading over the okra and surrounding ingredients this is formed as the water-soluble fibres break down and begins to rot. But, look closer and you may see a few signs to tell you otherwise. Upon first glance, you’ll probably think your cooked okra looks fine. Whether you’ve cooked your okra separately, or as part of a larger dish and decided to keep some for later, being able to tell if your okra is bad could save you from a horrible stomach. If any mould is detected, the okra should be discarded as it has already spoiled. MouldĪt no time should okra ever have mould either growing on it or a bloom of mould covering the fingers or pods.
If your okra has any hint of bitterness, it quite possibly has gone bad and should be thrown out.
However, okra that has spoiled will taste like decaying vegetables sour, bitter, and acrid. It’s vaguely earthy, and a little bit nutty. The flavour is somewhere as a cross between eggplant/aubergine and asparagus. TasteĪs a staple in many cuisines, and used as a thickening agent for dishes like gumbo, okra has a distinct flavour and mouthfeel. However, it should not feel slimy before being cooked, nor should it feel sticky to the touch before it’s been prepared. Once cooked, okra is known to feel ‘slimy’, due to its high-fibre base. If you detect any sliminess or stickiness, the okra pod has already spoiled and should be discarded straight away. Okra pods should be about 3-inches/10centimeters long, with the whole pod dry to the touch, but not dehydrated and shrivelled up. Some people have described the smell of spoiled and rotting okra as being akin to rotting meat. However, spoiled okra will have a pungent ‘rotting’ smell that will be unavoidable. Okra, as either a raw pod or cooked in chunks, has been likened to smelling very similar to several other vegetables, the most noticeable being asparagus and eggplant/aubergine.
At first, the okra will be bright green, like grass, but as it ages or spoils it will get darker green or brown in colour, or have a motley colour.ĭark green or discoloured okra should not be bought or eaten, as it has already spoiled and may cause stomach illnesses. Okra spoils quickly, and as it’s spoiling it changes colour. Okra pods should be bright and vibrant green, not super shiny, but more of a low-sheen. You can use this guide as a way to judge if the okra is bad or if it’s good: Appearance If buying pre-bagged, it’s worth having a snoop through and making sure the okra is fresh. This article will assume you’re buying it fresh and unprepared in any way. In supermarkets, at a greengrocer’s stall, or straight from the farmer or gardener’s field, okra is usually sold in loose bundles or bunches. Okra can be bought in several ways fresh, frozen, or canned is quite common.
0 kommentar(er)
