It is native to Africa and came here by way of the slave trade in the 18th century.

I am not a big fan of okra but I do enjoy breaded and fried okra occasionally. Fried okra is probably the most popular way to prepare it in the deep south. Other ways usually involve it as an added ingredient in stews and gumbos. It adds a unique flavor to many southern dishes.

Boiled okra is a dish only for hard down okra lovers. I find it slimy and unappetizing. There is an old southern joke about everyone crossing their legs at the dinner table when Ma served boiled okra, else it would slide right through. The blandness you spoke of is covered by seasoning with hog fat and pepper sauces.

I found out recently that okra is good for diabetes control. You soak a pod of okra with the ends cut off in a glass of water overnight. In the morning remove the okra pod and drink the water. The taste is not bad at all. I tried it and it made me a believer, but preparing the okra water every night is a huge pain in the ass and it is hard to keep fresh okra on hand. It will spoil after 4-5 days and you wind up throwing a lot of it in the disposal. I gave up on it after about a week.