Trying CurlyFireHorse's Co-kra gel!

unicyclist · 03-22-2012, 06:54 PM

I'm boiling the okra in th coconut milk right now

This seems like such a good idea. CurlFieHorse, thank you so much!!!!
I will post the results tomorrow

CurlyFireHorse · 03-22-2012, 07:01 PM

I hope it works as well for you

unicyclist · 03-22-2012, 07:57 PM

Thanks! One question...how on earth do you strain it? I was so thick, I just had to puree it bc it wouldn't strain...
Now it's all green and I am going to have to try to filter it

Devushka · 03-22-2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicyclist

Thanks! One question...how on earth do you strain it? I was so thick, I just had to puree it bc it wouldn't strain...
Now it's all green and I am going to have to try to filter it

I'm surprised -- I read many other posts saying orka gel was so easy to strain, much easier than FSG. Anyway, one person posted that they used a flour sack towel to strain it and that worked. Maybe give that a try?

I've got my frozen okra waiting for me to make my first batch, so I was reading up on what to do. Too tired to make it tonight, so hopefully tomorrow. I'll have to keep your experience with it being too thick in mind when i make it. Do you think you boiled it for too long maybe?

unicyclist · 03-22-2012, 09:29 PM

Thanks for the help! Next time I will only boil it 20 minutes then get outnall the okra while it's solid and not yet all mushy.

CurlyFireHorse · 03-22-2012, 09:31 PM

When mine gets too thick, I just add more coconut milk

beeduh · 03-23-2012, 06:57 AM

How have I not stumbled on this sooner? What's the recipe? And where can I buy coconut milk? I've been wanting to try coconut milk for other things and I have no clue where to buy it. :/

missbanjo · 03-23-2012, 07:59 AM

I just stumbled across this too (thanks to your bump Beeduh). This place moves too dang fast! I've seen coconut milk at Walmart in the asian food section. And I'm going to have to try this for sure!

CurlyFireHorse · 03-23-2012, 09:05 AM

Coconut milk is very easy to get. It is sold in grocery stores and health food stores. You can buy a small can of it or a large carton of it (located in the refrigerated section). I have not developed a preference for any single brand yet.

Here is my recipe:
I take a small saucepan, fill it 1/3 of the way up with coconut milk, put in 1/2 bag of chopped frozen okra, boil for 20-30 minutes, strain, add whatever is appropriate for the weather conditions, Mag Sulfate, honey, avocado oil, etc., then freeze it.

I love FSG, but had such a hard time straining it. Co-kra gel does exactly the same thing, but is so much easier to make. You can also boil it in water if your hair doesn't need the coconut milk. I use it just like FSG and by that I mean I use a lot.

My newest experiment is to try to figure out how to use CK as the liquid. It would most likely ruin CK if I boiled it, so I have to figure out how to warm it just enough to release the mucilage without damaging the CK.

Devushka · 03-23-2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devushka

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicyclist

Thanks! One question...how on earth do you strain it? I was so thick, I just had to puree it bc it wouldn't strain...
Now it's all green and I am going to have to try to filter it

I'm surprised -- I read many other posts saying orka gel was so easy to strain, much easier than FSG. Anyway, one person posted that they used a flour sack towel to strain it and that worked. Maybe give that a try?

I've got my frozen okra waiting for me to make my first batch, so I was reading up on what to do. Too tired to make it tonight, so hopefully tomorrow. I'll have to keep your experience with it being too thick in mind when i make it. Do you think you boiled it for too long maybe?

Update: I just made 4 oz of okra gel that I'll use when I wash my hair today. It was really easy, so if it works well enough as a styler and doesn't make my hair feel product-y (don't expect that it will), I'll rotate it with my FSG.

Also, straining it the same way I strain my FSG worked very well. Just used a knee-hi stocking and tongs. BUT it was MUCH easier to strain than flax seeds. Now, I didn't use coconut milk because I just wanted to try a basic, easy recipe (plus I didn't particularly like coconut milk the last time I tried it on my hair), so I don't know if that makes a difference as far as how easy it was to strain. Next time I'll make it with coconut milk and see if my hair does better with it.

Devushka · 03-23-2012, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurlyFireHorse

My newest experiment is to try to figure out how to use CK as the liquid. It would most likely ruin CK if I boiled it, so I have to figure out how to warm it just enough to release the mucilage without damaging the CK.

Just a thought. Since you've found that boiling it would probably ruin it, perhaps you could add the CK in the last few minutes that the gel is cooking. Not sure if that would help you achieve what you're going for (preservatives, more hold, curl enhancement?)

IAgirl · 03-23-2012, 11:11 AM

I've been playing with okra gel lately too (thanks, CurlyFireHorse!)
No mushing the okra!!! Stir with the biggest spoon you have, and only to prevent sticking of the okra to the pan.
It's hard, because it's so much fun to mush the okra slices!

CurlyFireHorse · 03-23-2012, 11:39 AM

Then after you strain it you can dump your okra straight into a stew or it makes a nice side dish. Yum.

Mcfrizzy · 03-23-2012, 01:48 PM

mind if i ask what the ingredients are, just okra, water, and coconut milk? if so this sounds like a really good recipe, need to try it

. Also, whats the difference between FSG and Ko-Okra (or Okra gel). I want to make FSG but flaxseeds arent available to me so was hoping i can get the same result so many people rave about with Okra since its probably in my refrigerator right now

Devushka · 03-23-2012, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAgirl

I've been playing with okra gel lately too (thanks, CurlyFireHorse!)
No mushing the okra!!! Stir with the biggest spoon you have, and only to prevent sticking of the okra to the pan.
It's hard, because it's so much fun to mush the okra slices!

Hmm...No mushing the okra? I made mine using whole okra pods (or stalks or ears or whatever they're called) and towards the end of the cooking time I purposefully mushed the okra. It certainly strained easily through the knee-hi stocking, so that wasn't a problem. Is there another reason why you shouldn't mush it? (I know what I'm doing with FSG, but okra is very new to me, and I'm wondering if I missed something in all the reading I did about it.) Thanks!

unicyclist · 03-23-2012, 08:16 PM

I actually just finished up all my coconut milk (in a smoothie

yummy!)
Is there anything else I can use besides water? I have almond milk...I don't know if that would do anything, though, haha. If it won't work, I'll just try it again with water

SaraNoH · 03-23-2012, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicyclist

I actually just finished up all my coconut milk (in a smoothie

yummy!)
Is there anything else I can use besides water? I have almond milk...I don't know if that would do anything, though, haha. If it won't work, I'll just try it again with water

Oooo no, I wouldn't use almond milk. My experience has been if you heat it up too much it starts to separate. Plus, I'd much rather drink it!

Post a pic if you can

unicyclist · 03-23-2012, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaraNoH

Quote:

Originally Posted by unicyclist

I actually just finished up all my coconut milk (in a smoothie

yummy!)
Is there anything else I can use besides water? I have almond milk...I don't know if that would do anything, though, haha. If it won't work, I'll just try it again with water

Oooo no, I wouldn't use almond milk. My experience has been if you heat it up too much it starts to separate. Plus, I'd much rather drink it!

Post a pic if you can

Ok! I will see if I have enough okra left

unicyclist · 03-23-2012, 10:59 PM

Just made it

I boiled some frozen okra and water for about 15 minutes...half the time as yesterday. I was just paranoid it would get glue-thick again. After that, I strained it like I strain my pasta with a plate over the pot and pouring the liquid into the bowl. I was able to use the okra again for another batch. I added about 4 capsules of vitamin e to moisturize and mildy preserve and vanilla extract to make it smell yummmmmy.
It had the consistency of thick water or thin syrup, if that makes sense. I haven't yet tried it on wet hair, but on dry hair, it's EXCELLENT as a 2nd day refresher! My curls aren't frizzy or limp anymore, and I can use as much as I want without it getting crunchy. I'll try it on wet hair tomorrow! Thanks again, FireHorse, for this okra idea

beeduh · 03-24-2012, 08:12 AM

I got my ingredients for cokra gel. Can't wait to try it out.