Will the okra get hurt if we don't eat it?

CEBU, Philippines - Will the okra cry if a child doesn't eat it?

What a question! But have you really asked yourself if the okra really cares when you don't seem to ever, ever like it?

Here's a story about a boy-okra named Orly:

Orly Okra would not talk to any of Kit Kalabasa, Allan Alugbati, Mark Malunggay, Stephen Sayote, and Ben Batong anymore. He just couldn't stand it, being rejected by the kids all the time, while watching the children seem to like the rest of his friend-veggies day after day.

The kids at The FREEMAN neighborhood are endeared to all of the vegetable growing around like Kit the Red Squash, Allan the Spinach Vine, Mark the Horse Radish, Stephen the Vegetable Pear, and Ben the Stringbean. But not to Orly the Gumbo.

"What have I done to deserve this?" Orly asked himself one day. "Just because I'm slimy doesn't mean I'm no good," he said.

His five friends, day by day, noticed the growing unhappiness clouding Orly, so they came to see him, finding him all alone on his patch.

"You, darling veggies, have made my life miserable. Enough of showoffs!" Orly shouted at them from his veggie bed.

"Please dear friend, Orly, you must try to understand," Stephen implored.

"We never mean to offend you. The children just have to grow before they can find out how nutritious you are and how the body needs you badly," Mark said.

"If only moms in the world know how to cook okra long enough, the slime just goes away," Allan said.

"It's so painful to watch that while the kids love you, prefer you, I'm here left alone. Spit out! They label me yucky and ewww stuff. I'm such a loser, they will never let me pass their lips," Orly cried.

Oh! If only this boy-gumbo knows there is a solution to the slime that he is fussing about.

The not-so-secret solution is here: Okra lovers use them fresh. They wash and slice the okra in ½ to 3/4-in. slices. They don't dry them up but dump them in bowl. They add on flour and two handfuls cornmeal. These are being tossed together. And then oil (canola) is heated in a cast iron skillet. Doesn't have to be deep enough to deep fry; the cooking technique is more than to sauté. Okra is added to oil by the handfuls, shaking off the excess flour and meal. These are fried until golden brown, stirring to turn okra. This all needs to be done over pretty high heat, says a tested and tasted recipe.

But for how long will Orly be sad? For the rest of his life, may be?

That depends on how many more children will continue to judge him by his slime.