Okra is recorded as having been cultivated in Africa and the Middle East during the
Middle Ages, and was introduced to the Americas as a consequence of the African slave trade. It flourishes well in moist, warm climates, and has since become a culinary staple in the Southern U.S.. It is often served battered and fried, either as whole pods or in segments. When cooked whole, okra is fairly crisp, but when cut and cooked in water, it produces a thick, mucilaginous principle. This is useful in thickening soups and stews, and has made okra a principal ingredient in one of the three varieties of
gumbo (another is thickened with powdered sassafras leaves, or file, while the third is thickened with roux).