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, a refreshing change from fried okra!
This dish, Okra Ohitashi, was inspired by a post from my friend Naoko on Instagram. 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!
Now, if you aren't growing red okra, no worries! You can use store bought green okra pods or frozen okra for this delicious Japanese okra recipe.
So let me tell you a little bit about this easy Japanese side dish!
What Is Okra Ohitashi?
Okra Ohitashi is a simple Japanese side dish prepared with boiled or blanched okra. Per TasteAtlas.com "the word ohitashi is derived from hitashi, meaning to immerse or to dunk."
Once cooked, the okra pieces are dressed with soy sauce and bonito flakes, also called katsuobushi.
This dish, which is a delicious part of Japanese cuisine, is typically served cold or at room temperature.
Why Make Okra Ohitashi?
I strongly urge you to make this Japanese recipe! Here are some reasons to enjoy this soon:
- It's easy to make! Simply boil, slice if needed, 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 this healthy recipe has convinced you. 🙂
🥘 Ingredients
You only need 4 ingredients to make this Japanese okra salad:
- Okra - here I've pictured frozen sliced okra. This works well for this recipe. As mentioned you can also use store bought green okra pods, or if you are fortunate enough to have some red okra by all means use that!
- Salt - we add salt to the water used to cook the okra
- Soy sauce - I love and you will love Japanese Kikkoman soy sauce!
- Bonito flakes aka katsuo bushi - you should be able to find this at your local Asian market
I'm excited to now show you how these simple ingredients combine to give you a refreshing okra side dish!
🔪 Instructions
It's so so easy to make this simple dish!
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Once the water is boiling, add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the water, and then the okra. You can use whole okra pods or frozen okra that has been previously sliced. Boil the okra for around 3-5 minutes or until the okra is tender and then drain.
The length of time will depend on the size of the okra as well as how tender it is.
Allow the okra to cool. You can run cold water over the okra to help it cool down and then pat dry with a paper towel.
If you used okra pods, you can top and tail the okra (discard these), and then slice across the width of the okra into numerous small pieces.
Add the sliced okra into a small bowl, and then add 3 teaspoon of soy sauce and stir well.
If serving immediately while at room temperature, add bonito flakes right before serving. You can also serve this cold after refrigerating. If this is the case, I recommend adding the bonito flakes just prior to serving.
I recommend refrigerating the soy sauce dressed okra overnight before serving. The okra has a chance to marinate in the soy sauce and really soaks up the flavor!
Suggestions For Serving
Enjoy this delicious and simple Japanese Okra salad with your favorite Japanese meal, or with a bowl of rice and some miso soup!
I hope this may become one of your favorite ways to enjoy okra!
FAQ
Store okra ohitashi in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
This Japanese dish is best served cold or at room temperature. I personally recommend refrigerating the okra after it has been combined with the soy sauce overnight, and serving it the next day. The okra then has time to marinate in the soy sauce and soaks up all that flavor. Just add the bonito flakes prior to serving!
A Word About Slimy Food
Many people may not be fond of okra because of its slimy texture. 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. 🙂
Some Other Dishes You May Enjoy!
If you love Japanese cooking, here are some other great Japanese recipes you may enjoy:
- Japanese Pickled Cucumber
- Okinawan Carrot Recipe With Tuna and Egg
- Japanese Pork Katsudon and Rice Bowl
Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!
Finally, I invite you to come along on this food journey with me! Please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.
Cheers!
Grace
Easy And Delicious Okra Ohitashi (Japanese Okra Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cups okra I used frozen sliced okra; if using okra pods use between 7-10 pods which you can leave whole while boiling
- ¼ teaspoon salt couple pinches
- 3 teaspoon soy sauce feel free to add extra soy sauce to taste!
- 3 tablespoon bonito flakes or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to the boil. Once the water is boiling, add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the water, and then the okra. You can use whole okra pods or frozen okra that has been previously sliced. Boil the okra for around 3-5 minutes or until the okra is tender and then drain. The length of time will depend on the size of the okra as well as how tender it is.
- Allow the okra to cool. You can run cold water over the okra to help it cool down and then pat dry with paper towels if needed.
- If you used okra pods, you can top and tail the okra (discard), and then slice across the width of the okra into numerous small pieces.
- Add the sliced okra into a small bowl, and then add 3 teaspoon of soy sauce and stir well.
- If serving immediately while at room temperature, add bonito flakes right before serving. You can also serve this cold after refrigerating. If this is the case, I recommend adding the bonito flakes just prior to serving.
Grace
Well okra is not my favorite food but I enjoy eating it this way! Love the flavors with the savory soy sauce and bonito flakes. Great easy recipe!