Okra: why you should give the slimy vegetable another try

I don’t know many people who crave okra. A lot of people pass over the odd-looking vegetable at farmers’ markets and have no idea how to prepare it. I happen to love it.

Okra is a green vegetable sometimes used in soups, stews, curries and is most often found in dishes in the Southern United States. To me, it looks like a cross between a green bean and a cucumber. Look for small pods about 1-3 inches long. It’s in season in the early fall so now is the time to snatch it up!

Admittedly, this is not the most healthy recipe I have posted or will post on the blog, but okra is full of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Plus it’s green, and everyone could use more veggies in their diet. I’d also like to encourage you to try something you may not have tried before!

I like coating sliced okra in almond flour and frying it in some grapeseed oil, but you could use any gluten-free flour. I use grapeseed oil because of its high smoke point.

Here is my recipe:

• 2 cups sliced okra
• 1 cup almond flour (I use this one)
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• two dashes onion or garlic powder
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Steps:

• Slice okra in rounds, as shown in the picture above. Discard the ends.
• Combine almond flour + cayenne pepper + salt + onion or garlic powder in a shallow bowl.
• Whisk eggs in another shallow bowl.
• Set up your working station by placing your bowls next to each other.
• Roll sliced okra in the almond flour mixture.
• Roll sliced okra in the egg mixture.
• Roll sliced okra in almond flour mixture again. (Kat-tip: a chef friend once shared with me that you should roll your items in your dry mixture first, then wet mixture, then dry mixture again to ensure a good coating before cooking.)
• Heat grapeseed oil in a pan on medium-high heat.
• Once the oil is hot, throw the okra in the pan. Make sure the pan is large enough to fit the okra comfortably; you don’t want to crowd the pan.
• Toss okra until lightly browned and cooked through.