Okra is a vegetable commonly grown and eaten in the southern United States. Native to Africa, it flourishes in subtropical and tropical regions, but will thrive anywhere that tomatoes, corn and melons can be grown. The okra plant produces stunning pale yellow flowers that add beauty and interest to any garden; and, the seed pods produced by the plant are edible and delicious. As you start to plan out this year’s spring and summer garden, consider adding okra to your planting list! It won’t disappoint.
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Okra is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants that prevent cancers, diabetes and heart disease. It’s a versatile vegetable that makes a great side dish when sautéed with tomatoes and onions, added to gumbo or stew, or fried. I love my okra fried and eaten as a snack or in place of croutons in a salad. It’s crispy and salty on the outside and creamy and sweet on the inside. In my opinion, it’s much better than french fries or potato chips; and dare I say it, it’s perhaps even better than popcorn.
To make fried okra you will want to start by heating up your frying oil. Pour approximately three cups of canola oil into a medium-size frying pan or skillet so that it fills the pan to about a ½ inch deep. Heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat. You will know when the oil is ready when a tiny pinch of flour bubbles up when dropped into the oil.
While the oil is heating, wash and trim the ends off of one pound of okra, then slice each pod into ¼ inch rounds. Set okra aside. Pour ¾ cup of buttermilk into a medium-size mixing bowl and set next to the sliced okra. Lastly, add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour, ¾ cup of fine cornmeal and 3 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning to a large gallon-size sealable bag and shake to mix. Set next to the bowl of buttermilk.
To assemble, dredge the okra in the buttermilk, then place it into the bag that contains the flour/cornmeal. Once all of the okra is in the bag, seal the bag and gently shake it to completely coat the okra in the flour mixture.
Working in batches, gently drop about a quarter of the prepared okra into the frying pan at a time, making sure to spread out the okra and avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry the okra until it’s golden brown, using a fork to stir and flip the okra as necessary so that it cooks evenly on both sides. This won’t take long; about 3-5 minutes of total frying time per batch. When the okra is golden brown, scoop it out onto a plate that has been lined with paper towels and immediately sprinkle it with salt, to taste. Serve the okra immediately and while hot and crispy. Enjoy!
Fried Okra
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh okra, washed, trimmed and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- 3 cups canola oil
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup fine cornmeal
- 3 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet to medium/medium-high heat.
- Wash, trim and slice okra into ¼ inch rounds. Set aside.
- Add buttermilk to a mixing bowl and set next to slice okra.
- Add flour, cornmeal and Old Bay seasoning to a resealable bag. Shake to mix and set next to the bowl of buttermilk.
- To assemble, dredge the okra in buttermilk, then drop it into the resealable bag of flour/cornmeal. Repeat until all okra has been added to the bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat the okra.
- Working in batches (so as not to overcrowd the pan), add about a quarter of the prepared okra to the skillet. Fry until golden brown, using a fork to stir and flip the okra as necessary so that it cooks evenly on both sides.
- When golden-brown, scoop the okra out onto a plate that has been lined with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and eat immediately. Enjoy!
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