Pakistan’s national vegetable is okra, also known as “lady finger” or “bhindi” in Urdu.
Okra in Pakistani Cooking
Okra has cultural significance in Pakistani cuisine and is a prominent ingredient in a wide range of recipes, and is valued for its flavour, texture, and nutritional benefits. It can be found in a variety of traditional recipes, including bhindi masala (okra curry), aloo bhindi (okra and potato curry), and biryanis or mixed veggie meals. The versatility and ability to combine with spices and other seasonings make it a popular vegetable in Pakistani cuisine.
Okra Cultivation and Production Statistics in Pakistan
Okra is a very valuable vegetable and cultivated all over the world. The Top five producing countries of Okra are India 61.9%, Nigeria 22.2%, Sudan 3.2%, Mali 2.7% and Pakistan 1.3% and exporting countries of okra are Afghanistan, UAE, Iran and Malaysia. The World production of Okra is 8900434 tons and area under cultivation is 2157961 hectares.World ranked Pakistan is 5th number and share in the world is 1.3 %. In Pakistan area under cultivation is 15529 hectare and production of okra is 118986 tonnes. In Punjab the area under cultivation is 5909 tons, Sindh 4915 tons, Balochistan 2622 tons and KPK 2083 tons And also its production in Punjab 67058 hec, Sindh 18995 hec, Balochistan 16124 and KPK 16809 hec. The major growing cities of Okra in Pakistan are Multan, Jhang, D.G. khan, Rahim yar khan, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rajanpur, Lodhran, Vehari, Okara, Muzaffarghar and Toba tek singh.
Nutritional Profile of Okra
Okra have nutritional value and they contain Energy 129 kJ (31 kcal), Carbohydrates 7.03g, Sugars 1.20g, Dietary fibre 3.2 g, Fat 0.10g, Protein 2.00g, Water 90.17g and Calcium 81 mg. Okra is the primary source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K1. Vitamin C helps to increase immunity. On the other hand, Vitamin K1 is known as fat-soluble as it is low in calories and carbs. In addition, unlike other vegetables and fruits, it contains protein that makes it unique. Protein helps manage weight, controls blood sugar levels, and strengthens the bone structure and muscles.