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Noun: okra  ow-kru [N. Amer], ók-ru or ow-kru [Brit]
  1. Tall coarse annual of Old World tropics widely cultivated in southern United States and West Indies for its long mucilaginous green pods used as basis for soups and stews; sometimes placed in genus Hibiscus
    "They harvested fresh okra for their gumbo recipe"; "The okra plant produced abundant pods for gumbo";
    - gumbo [N. Amer], okra plant, lady's-finger, Abelmoschus esculentus, Hibiscus esculentus, bhindi [Asia]
     
  2. Long green edible beaked pods of the okra plant
    "Okra is a key ingredient in gumbo, providing both flavour and thickening";
    - bhindi [Asia]
     
  3. Long mucilaginous green pods; may be simmered or sautéed but used especially in soups and stews
    "She added sliced okra to thicken the gumbo";
    - gumbo [N. Amer], bhindi [Asia]

Derived forms: okras

Type of: herb, herbaceous plant, pod, seedpod, veg [Brit, informal], vegetable, veggie [informal]

Part of: Abelmoschus, genus Abelmoschus

Encyclopedia: Okra