This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about the simple and delicious Japanese salad called Okra Ohitashi!
Do you like okra? It seems that this is a fruit, yes FRUIT! that people either love or hate! I'm a member of the lovers of this fruit, and was so very happy to find out about this Japanese salad called Okra Ohitashi!
This dish, Okra Ohitashi, was inspired by a post from my friend @kitchennao. She had written about this dish, and mentioned that she had used red okra for it!
We have been growing red okra in our garden, and as soon as I saw this I knew that I absolutely had to try this simple Japanese salad made with okra!
Naoko stated that when she boiled her red okra..it turned green! Lo and behold it does! It was awesome to see this color transformation upon boiling red okra!
Once boiled, you simply slice it once cooked, add soy sauce, and bonito flakes...OH SO GOOD!
Click here to buy Japanese Kikkoman Soy Sauce from Amazon, and here to buy Bonito Flakes from Amazon.
A Word About Slimy Food
Many people may not be fond of okra because it can be slimy. However, I have learned that Japanese people on the whole don't mind slimy food! One very popular food in Japan is called Natto. Natto is made of fermented soybeans, and has a VERY STRONG smell! I was able to try this when I visited Japan, and let's just say in my opinion it is an acquired taste. 🙂
Natto is characteristically slimy and stringy as you can see above. So I just wanted to mention it here because it lends credit to my assertion that Japanese people don't mind slimy foods. 🙂
Why Make Okra Ohitashi?
I strongly urge you to make this dish! Here are some reasons to enjoy this soon:
- It's easy to make! Simply boil, slice, and then add soy sauce and bonito flakes!
- It's quick! Takes less than 10 minutes (plus cooling time)!
- It's delicious! Soy sauce and bonito flakes add a HUGE umami burst of flavor to this dish!
- It's nutritious! Okra is packed with nutrients! Check out this article "7 Nutrition and Health Benefits of Okra" from Healthline!
I hope that short list of reasons to make Okra Ohitashi has convinced you. 🙂
Some Other Dishes You May Enjoy!
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Cheers!
Grace
Okra Ohitashi
Ingredients
- 7-10 okra pods
- salt couple pinches
- 1-1.5 ts soy sauce
- bonito flakes to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to the boil. Meanwhile, prepare your okra by cutting a small lengthwise slit into the pods. Once the water is boiling, add a couple of pinches of salt to the water, and then the okra pods. Boil the okra for around 2-5 minutes. The length of time will depend on the size of the okra as well as how tender it is. Drain.
- Allow the okra to cool, and then slice across the width of the okra into numerous small slices.
- Add the sliced okra into a small bowl, and then add 1-1.5 ts of soy sauce. Stir a bit, and then add bonito flakes to taste!
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