A good pickle is all about texture. It should have a satisfying crunch as you bite into it. It should be firm and crisp. It should make your eyes light up with delight as you eat it. Which brings me to okra, the poster child of vegetables with texture issues. “Eww, it’s slimy!” Yes. Yes, okra often suffers from slipperiness. But it all depends on how you prepare it. Cooked fresh into a pickle, like this, it’s not slimy. It’s crunchy. I am convinced that okra makes the best pickles ever. The inside of an okra pod is somewhat hollow, with tender seeds, but a lot of air. These air pockets fill up with the pickling juice when you pickle the okra, and it’s a texture wonderland when you bite into them. That and okra just tastes good.

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