- published: 11 Jul 2015
- views: 25580
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Moench, pronounced US: /ˈoʊkrə/, UK: /ˈɒkrə/, known in many English-speaking countries as lady's fingers or gumbo) is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world.
The name "okra" is most often used in the United States, with a variation of the pronunciation–English Caribbean ("okro")– used primarily around the Philippines. "Okra" is of West African origin and is cognate with ọkwurụ in the Igbo language spoken in Nigeria. Okra is often known as "lady's fingers" outside of the United States. In various Bantu languages, okra is called kingombo or a variant thereof, and this is the origin of its name in Portuguese (quiabo), Spanish (quimbombó or guigambó), Dutch and French, and also possibly of the name "gumbo", used in parts of the United States and English-speaking Caribbean for either the vegetable, or a stew based on it. In India, Pakistan, Peshawar, and often in the United Kingdom, it is called by its Hindi/Urdu name, bhindi or bhendi or Bendai.In Bangladesh and bengal it is known as Jhingay or Jhinga (ঝিঙে, ঝিঙ্গা). In southern India, it is known as "vendaykka (വെണ്ടയ്ക്ക” in Malayalam, vendaikkai(வெண்டைக்காய்) in Tamil, benda Kaya(బెండకాయ) in Telugu, bandakka in Sinhala, and bende kayi in Kannada. In Thailand, it is known as กระเจี๊ยบมอญ krachiap mon, which is Thai for "Rozelle plant of the Mon people (Mon, Pegu, and Peguan of Burma and Thailand)". It is known as bamya (bamiya or bamiyeh) in Persian and Arabic-speaking countries. In South and Southeast Europe, it is known as bamya (bamija). In Romania, it is known as bamă. In Albania, it is known as bamje. In Israel, it is called bamia. In Malawi it is known as therere lo bala.
There's a place in my heart where you used to be
There's a pain, deep inside, don't want the world to see
Nothing, but emptiness, once there was your caress
I was touched by your naked flame
Now, it was hard sometimes, those things that we went through
But believe me when I'd say, I would never mean to hurt you
I hold the memory of holding you next to me
In my arms like a naked flame
Think it over before you break my heart
Think it over before the crying starts
Then we can say goodbye to the tears
I should have known that this time was a coming
But if you ever need me, I'll come a running home to you
There's a place in my dreams where we used to meet
But there's no one around now, it's just an empty street
I hold the memory of holding you close to me
In my arms, like a naked flame