Okra is an ingredient that can be drastically different in taste and texture depending on how you prepare it. Cooking sliced okra in a stew or gumbo will make it soft and—don't let this word scare you—slimy. The gooey substance that is released from okra prepared this way can act as a thickening agent for a dish.
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But if the thought of consuming anything slimy makes your skin crawl, then there is another okra option for you—frying. Coating the green vegetable in a layer of cornmeal and frying it in oil reduces the gooeyness and leaves you with a crispy, very Southern treat.
Enjoy!
Southern Fried Okra
6 cups oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 lbs. fresh okra, sliced 1/2-in. thick
1/2 cup soy milk
•Heat the oil to 350°F in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or a large pot. You may not need to use all 6 cups of oil depending on the size of your pan. Do not fill the pan more than halfway up the sides with oil.
•In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Dip the okra in the soy milk and then dredge in the cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well.
•Carefully add the coated okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
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Comments ( 10 )
I'm a pretty big fan of okra, but I'm not always in the mood for its signature sliminess. I would love to try baking these instead of deep-frying and maybe stuffing them with savory ricotta cheese - I can taste it already!
Posted by Chris | January 28, 2009 5:19 PM
Posted on January 28, 2009 17:19
Hi Amy,
I love fried okra, but I've only ever eaten it in restaurants. I'm loathe to deep fry anything. Do you have any idea if this would work by simply pan frying the okra?
Thanks,
Jane of VeganBits.com
Posted by Jane | January 28, 2009 5:21 PM
Posted on January 28, 2009 17:21
Okra isn't in season yet but I plan to grow lot's of it. And when I do I'll be trying this!
*Puts this recipe in back pocket*
Posted by Adriana | January 28, 2009 7:24 PM
Posted on January 28, 2009 19:24
Hi, I like your take on southern style okra. Growing up in Georgia okra was my favorite vegetable. In fact, it was the only one I ate as a kid. However, we neither used flour nor cayenne pepper in our recipe and we fried it in a cast iron skillet with just enough oil to cover the slices halfway. That way you have just a light breading of cornmeal and a lot less oil than deep frying it.
Posted by Marie | January 28, 2009 10:39 PM
Posted on January 28, 2009 22:39
i definitely don't see okra around that much...great way to prepare it!
Posted by veggievixen | January 29, 2009 12:37 AM
Posted on January 29, 2009 00:37
Hi Amy
I would dread eating anything deep fried in 6 cups of oil - have my cholesterol shoot up :)
We can shallow fry or some other option as Marie suggested, any other options?
Thanks,
R
Posted by Raj | January 29, 2009 2:14 PM
Posted on January 29, 2009 14:14
mMmmmmmMmmMmMMmmMmmmmMmMm *drools*
does that look tasty! Like I could pull one out of that picture and pop it in my mouth.
Posted by Heather Lynn | January 29, 2009 11:22 PM
Posted on January 29, 2009 23:22
My mother is from Mississippi and my family and I enjoy fried okra as often as we could. I know the idea of deep frying makes a few people run from the room screaming, but I swear you have to try it at least once.
Posted by Kashawn | February 2, 2009 3:13 PM
Posted on February 2, 2009 15:13
I tried pan frying breaded okra in very little oil and the results were not so good. I'm not sure if I was too impatient or what, but the exterior never achieved the crispiness I was going for.
Depending on what texture you like, pan frying in little (or shallow) oil might work for you though.
Posted by Amy | February 3, 2009 7:50 AM
Posted on February 3, 2009 07:50
If your oil is hot enough the food that you deep fry doesn't absorb very much. The tempurature of the oil is crucial as it essentially "seals" the food. If your food wasn't crisp, chances are that was your reason.When you deep fry properly your reults are crisp and very low in absorbed oil.
Posted by Cathy | February 12, 2009 8:31 AM
Posted on February 12, 2009 08:31