This delicious Pinoy Okra Recipe is a super easy, tasty, and vegan-friendly dish that is made with perfectly blanched okra tossed in a savory vegetarian oyster sauce. It's an easy Filipino side dish recipe that is perfect for a quick family lunch or dinner!
Looking to add more delicious Filipino vegetables to your life? Try my Bicol Express, Filipino Green Beans, or Grilled Eggplant with Coconut Milk.
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What is Okra?
Okra is also known as “lady’s finger" because of its shape, which resembles the thin, delicate fingers of a woman. It is a flowering plant with edible seed pods that belongs to the mallow family. It is often cultivated in Africa and South Asia, where it grows best in warm climates. It is a well-known superfood due to its low-calorie content and high concentration of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
This delicious okra recipe is a tasty Filipino dish and one of the best Filipino dinners to eat because it's so healthy. It's vegetarian-friendly and a perfect treat for okra lovers. The perfect combination of light, crisp, tender okra with a delicious vegetarian oyster sauce will make you want more!
How to Make Delicious Okra Recipe
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
- okra
- vegetarian oyster mushroom sauce
- brown sugar
- dark soy sauce
- sesame oil
- vegetable broth
- lemon
- vegetable oil
- garlic
- ginger
On medium heat, blanch the okra in boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove and transfer the okra to a bowl:
In a small bowl, combine oyster mushroom sauce, brown sugar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable broth, and lemon juice; set aside.
In a small pan, add oil and sauté garlic on low heat until it turns light brown:
Add the ginger slices and cook for another 2 minutes. Next, pour in the oyster mushroom sauce mixture. Then, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce it to a simmer for 3 minutes:
Toss in the blanched okra and continue simmering for another 2 minutes:
Happy Cooking!
Top Tips
- Make sure not to overcook the okra. The less cooked okra is, the better it is for our health.
- Just blanch the okra and transfer it to a plate. You may also put the boiled okra in a large bowl with cold water and/or ice cubes for a few minutes to stop it from cooking. Then, drain the water and transfer the okra to a serving plate.
- It is best to use brightly colored okra pods. Avoid using dull, bruised, soft, or blemished okra pods. If they are too ripe, they will have a very sticky texture.
- Pour the flour into the water and stir it evenly, then pour the okra to wash off the fluff on their surface.
- For non-vegetarians, serve this dish with grilled, fried, or steamed fish or meats.
- Feel free to season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped spring onions.
Storage
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
It has mucilage, or slime, that contains soluble fiber that aids in digestion.
Keep the pods intact and cook them quickly to minimize the sliminess of the pod. You may also soak the okra in vinegar for half an hour. Then rinse it and pat it dry before cooking.
Okra can be fried, oven-roasted, stewed, pickled, and included in gumbo.
More Filipino Recipes to Try
- Caramelized Onion Dip
- Filipino Style Tomato Soup
- Vegan Bagoong (which pairs well with this dish)
Pinoy Okra Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz medium okra
- 3 tablespoons oyster mushroom sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ginger sliced thinly
Instructions
- On medium heat, blanch the okra in boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove and transfer the okra to a bowl
- Remove and transfer the okra to a bowl
- In a small bowl, combine oyster mushroom sauce, brown sugar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable broth, and lemon juice; set aside.
- In a small pan, add oil and sauté garlic on low heat until it turned light brown.
- Add the ginger slices and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the oyster mushroom sauce mixture.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to simmer for 3 minutes.
- Toss in the blanched okra and continue simmering for another 2 minutes
- Serve and enjoy with steamed rice.
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