Okra is originally from Africa, and is in the Hibiscus family, as its showy flowers suggest. The edible part of the plant is the pod which forms after the flower. Keeping the pods intact and cooking quickly help to reduce "sliminess". Okra pods are often briefly stir-fried, or cooked with acidic ingredients such as citrus, tomatoes, or vinegar, or a few drops of lemon juice. Alternatively the pods can be sliced thinly and cooked for a long time, so that the mucilage dissolves, as in gumbo.

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