African Food and Art

This blog explores the wisdom of African proverbs, the depth of folklore, the beauty of art, the stories of history, and the flavors of timeless African food recipes.

Pickled Okra Recipe and Hot Pickling Spices

The secret to making pickled okra is to begin with good-quality fresh okra for canning and fresh hot peppers for the best pickled okra recipe.

Use canning or pickling salt; non-caking material added to other salts may make the pickling brine cloudy. Hibiscus esculentus or okra is of African origin originating from Ethiopia. Okra grows wild along the White Nile and the upper Nile country as well as in Ethiopia.

Bamia Pickled Okro Recipe

Pickled Okra Recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh whole okra pods

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

4 dried red chili peppers

4 teaspoons dried dill

2 cups water

1 cup white vinegar

¼ cup pickling salt

1 tablespoon white sugar


Directions

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Divide the fresh okra evenly between 4 sterile one-pint jars. 

Evenly place mustard seeds, dried chili, and dill into each jar.  Pour liquid mixture into filled jars leaving ¼ inch room from the top of the jar to the liquid, this is your head-space. 

Tightly close each jar. In a large pot filled with boiling water, add jars making sure they do not touch and seal in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.  

Remove jars with tongs from the water and place on the counter to cool 12-24 hours. 

Let jars sit at room temperature 7-10 days before eating. 

Proper heat processing destroys the botulism bacterium check jars before opening for any signs of spoilage.  Refrigerate jars after opening.


More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

  1. Curried Tanzanian Coconut Okra Recipe
  2. Yedoro Stir Fried Ethiopian Chicken Dinner
  3. Senegalese Chicken Vermicelli
  4. Caldo Verde Portuguese Kale Soup
  5. Air Fryer Black Eyed Pea Dumpling Stew

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