I love the flavor of okra, but not its sliminess. (I think most people would agree with me.) Growing up, I only liked it two ways: in gumbo, where the sliminess is obscured by the roux, and fried. And when I say fried, I mean greasy-Southern-fried, with a batter of flour, egg and cornmeal - messy and unhealthy.
Recently I discovered that all you need to get rid of the sliminess of okra is to cook it quickly over high heat. It doesn't need to be deep fried. A quick stir fry on the stovetop or over hot coals does the trick.
I found this recipe for dry okra on Sea Salt with Food and adapted it for the grill. It originally comes from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. We had this with the tandoori seitan and cucumber raita.
Recently I discovered that all you need to get rid of the sliminess of okra is to cook it quickly over high heat. It doesn't need to be deep fried. A quick stir fry on the stovetop or over hot coals does the trick.
I found this recipe for dry okra on Sea Salt with Food and adapted it for the grill. It originally comes from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. We had this with the tandoori seitan and cucumber raita.
This goes out to Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Simona of bricioli.
Dry Okra from the Grill
1/2 pound okra
1 slice sweet onion (about 1/2-inch thick)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder (or lemon juice)
1/4 teaspoon salt
a pinch of ground coriander
a pinch of cayenne pepper
Cut tops from the okra pods and then slice lengthwise. Cut onion slice in half and then separate the rings. Toss with remaining ingredients.
Prepare a charcoal fire. Grill over medium heat until okra starts to blacken a bit.
Serves 2-3.
Dry Okra from the Grill
1/2 pound okra
1 slice sweet onion (about 1/2-inch thick)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder (or lemon juice)
1/4 teaspoon salt
a pinch of ground coriander
a pinch of cayenne pepper
Cut tops from the okra pods and then slice lengthwise. Cut onion slice in half and then separate the rings. Toss with remaining ingredients.
Prepare a charcoal fire. Grill over medium heat until okra starts to blacken a bit.
Serves 2-3.
What a great idea. I agree with you that the slimy texture of okra was not a real attractive feature. Thanks for the inspiration to try another way of eating them!
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I have never tasted okra. I wish I could taste some of what is in your photo, as it looks very appetizing. It sounds like okra offers a reward if one has the patience to tease out its good qualities in terms of flavor. Thank you for your contribution.
ReplyDeleteAs a half-Southern girl, I can assure you we have no problem with the slime.
ReplyDelete