Fried, Pickled & Stewed: 5 Recipes To Make You Love Okra

Much hullabaloo is made about okra's peculiar looks and not insignificant "slime quotient." My suggestion? Just go with it! There's much to love about this southern vegetable.

First, try frying whole pods of okra. There's no better way for a reluctant okra novice to learn to love this veggie. Frying preserves the okra's crunchy texture, results in negligible sliminess, and well...it's fried! You can't go wrong with fried food.

You can also roast the okra or pickle it. Both methods will ensure crunchy veggies and let you get a feel for okra's true flavor. Try these recipes:

• Grilled Okra with Smoked Paprika-Shallot Dip from Fine Cooking
• Alton Brown's Pickled Okra from The Food Network

But personally, I think that it's best to embrace okra's slimy nature. It's definitely not a texture often found in Western cuisine and that can at first seem very very strange to our palates. Try it few times and in a few different preparations before judging it too harshly.

• Seafood Gumbo from Saveur - The classic southern stew, thickened with okra
• Sambal Okra from Rasa Malaysia - A spicy Malaysian stir-fry with shrimp
• Bhindi Masala from Spicy Tasty - Classic Indian okra curry.

Okra will be in season in most parts of the country from now through early fall. Grocery stores usually carry it, but the best okra is going to be found at the farmers market. Look for finger-length pods that are bright green colored and very firm to the touch. Keep them in the fridge and plan to eat them within the next few days.

Do you love okra? What's your favorite way to cook it?

(Image: Flickr member .j.e.n.n.y. licensed under Creative Commons)

Comments (12)

Okra and basil are the only two things left in my garden (it's hot in Phoenix). I sautee it quickly with corn, add a little Worcestershire and butter, then off the heat stir in a chopped tomato and basil.

I cut okra into 1/2 inch pieces, put them on a baking sheet/cookie sheet, add oil, some salt n bake it in 400f oven for 30 mins... Remove them, and add them to some caramalised onions with a dash or garam masala.. Makes an awesome side or goes with Indian breads.. N baking removes most of the slime...dry oven air does the trick!!

I would have to disagree that fried is the way to ween one onto okra; it really doesn't let the flavor shine through. I hated it until I had bhindi masala, which had a lot of other spice, but it enhanced the okra and made it one of my favorite vegetables.

I'm so glad to see some okra love! I haven't met a way of preparing okra that I haven't liked.

And Melena, I think the okra/corn dish sounds great!

Love okra! I grew up eating it fried and pickled and they are still my favorite ways to eat it. I'm starting to explore different ways of using spices with okra and preparing it. It is definitely one of my favorite vegetables. Smoked paprika is delicious with okra.

I miss okra. I moved to Minnesota from Kansas about 11 years ago, and they just don't have okra here!!! Everytime I go home, I have to go to the BBQ place that makes the best ribs, best creamed corn, and best okra with tomatoes and onions ever...maybe next year I'll try it in my garden?

I like okra and tomatoes. Great southern food.

I make an dish with okra that is to die for. And the okra does not turn slimey at all. Also I have noticed that when Okras are FRESH they are not slimey. I also choose the smalles okras, and when I cut the stems, I cut it at an angle (as my grandmother taught me:-) and this way the okra is intact, and nothing can come out of it. The dish is made with all the summer vegetables, and it has onions, garlic, parsley, okra, zucchini, eggplant (the small ones) tomatoes, spring beans or yellow beans, and a small can of chopped tomatoes, drizzle of olive oil, S&P. I cut the veggies in bite size cubes, lay them in my lecreuset, high flame, lid on, turn it medium 5minutes into it, and don't cook more than 15-20 minutes. Put it in fridge overnight - the next day you get the most delicious summer dish EVER.

string beans - and also peppers (the thin skinned ones)

@Bryn I'm a MN person too (now) but from GA. And it's true, okra is hard to find. HOWEVER, you can find it frozen and though it's hard to pickle from that way, it's easy to fry or put in a corn/okra/limabean/tomato succotash salad and is pretty good.

Thanks for this! I've been getting a ton of okra in my CSA lately, and I'm never sure what to do with it.

@Bryn & Lia_Bia - another Minnesotan (born & raised) here! Check farmer's markets. I found some on Saturday and promptly pickled it. :) I am waiting on pins and needles for it to be ready and am going back next week to get more for other uses.