How To Freeze Okra
Learn how to freeze okra with or without blanching. This is a true, tried and tested technique that will save you some few coins. This is the best way to preserve okra for later use. Okra is a popular vegetable present in most Nigerian kitchen and it is added to various types of dishes.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
- Okra
Instructions
- Wash and stem the okra: you can wash the okra with half part of water and vinegar, I just rinsed under warm water. Transfer into a colander to drain off excess water. Alternatively, pat dry with a kitchen towel. You are best working with dry okra, cut off the stem of the okra and set aside
- Blanch the okra or not: As mentioned earlier, this is a personal preference. If you want to blanch this vegetable, all you have to do is submerge the okra with boiling water and soak between 2 to 4 minutes. transfer the blanched okra to cold water to stop it from cooking further. Strain and set aside to air dry or pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- Cut to desired sizes: depending on the dishes the okra is being used for, you can slice it into any size you desire. You can leave whole or chopped into smaller pods. You will need a sharp knife for this process.
- Transfer to a freezer bag: if you have enough freezer space, you can place the chopped okra on a lined baking tray and flash freeze before storing. All I do is transfer into a freezer bag and lay it flat when placing in the freezer so it doesn’t clump up during the freezing process.
- Freeze the okra for up to one year for best results. Make sure it is stored under the right temperature. The okra can loose taste or texture or colour if it gets freezer burnt