DATE: Wednesday, September 3, 1997          TAG: 9709030046

SECTION: FLAVOR                  PAGE: F6   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: TRY THIS

SOURCE: BY BETTY DOUGLASS, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   49 lines

COOKING OKRA RIGHT WILL KEEP IT CRISPER

OKRA, the vegetable some people love to hate, was brought to America from Africa with watermelons and pigeon peas as part of the slave trade, say Jeannette Ferrary and Louise Fiszer in their book ``Sweet Onions and Sour Cherries.''

To this day, okra is an important cooking ingredient in the South, where people serve it fried, made into succotash and pickled. When sliced, its star-like cross-sections look unique and inviting in salads, say Ferrary and Fiszer.

But for every person who loves okra, there seem to be two who wish this plant never existed, because crisp okra can turn into gelatinous goo. If cooked carefully, though, you can avoid slimy okra.

Preparation: Wash just before cooking. If okra is to be cooked whole, cut the stems without piercing the pods, to reduce sliminess. For most dishes cook just until tender.

Do not overcook, begs Bert Greene in his book ``Greene on Greens.''

``Okra changes as it is cooked,'' says Greene. ``From being extremely crisp and firm-textured in it's raw state, it becomes thick, gooey and almost mucilaginous after long stints in a saucepan. This viscous quality is the result of a high sugar-carbohydrate content, which releases a thickening agent when heated.''

Greene also says: ``Never cook okra in an iron, copper or brass pot. The metal will turn the pod a gray, which, while harmless, may occasion a qualm in the finicky.''

Selection: I have just discovered a beautiful burgundy red okra at a local farm stand that is delicious. The red okra it is more tender than most green varieties and has smaller seeds. When cooked, red okra turns a dark green color.

Whatever the color raw, okra should have a deep hue. Look for okra that is firm, unblemished and 2 to 3 inches long. Small pods are generally more tender and sweeter than large pods. Avoid any that are overly large, stiff, shriveled or blackened.

Storage: Refrigerate, unwashed, in a plastic or paper bag for up to five days. MEMO: Betty Douglass is a free-lance food writer and home economist in

Portsmouth. All recipes in this article have been kitchen-tested by the

author. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

KRT

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