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Fried Okra - one of the best okra recipes ever featuring cut okra coated in cornmeal and flour to make crispy and crunchy okras. A summer favorite!
Table of Contents
Southern Fried Okra Recipe
Okra is my favorite vegetable ever. I love the hairy pod, the gooey slime and the soft texture. My family used to grow okra plant in our garden.
I especially love crispy Southern fried okra. They are so crunchy, addictive and the okra has no slime! It’s such a great appetizer, I just can’t stop eating.
Other Southern Recipes You Might Like
Beignets
New Orleans Beignets
Cajun Shrimp Pasta
How to Fry Okra?
In California, Okra is in season starting in June, so I got myself some okras and made them into these crunchy nuggets. Now, how to fry okra? It’s very easy and involves a few simple steps:
Remove the cap and bottom tip of the okra and cut the pods into small pieces.
Add the okras to buttermilk.
Coat the okras with a dry all-purpose flour and cornmeal batter (mixture).
Deep fry in vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy.
Drain the excess oil on paper towels and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Air Fryer to Fry Okra?
Yes you can and the end result tastes exactly the same. You can use air fryer to fry the okra after coating with the all-purpose flour and cornmeal mixture. Just add 1 tablespoon of oil to your air fryer before air frying.
What Does Okra Taste like Fried?
Okra has a mild flavor that many say tastes similar to eggplant, but the texture is more fibrous and tender. Additionally, the vegetable has a slime that will make it have a silky texture.
Is Fried Okra Good for You?
It is pretty low in calories has a high fiber content. It has also been proven to help with blood sugar and cholesterol, making okra good for you.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This fried okra recipe is only 183 calories per serving, with 35g of carbs.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
This meal is best served as an appetizer and goes well with a main dish. For a Southern style wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Trim off the cap and tip of the okra and cut into small pieces.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, smoked paprika and ground black pepper in a bowl. Stir to mix well.
Add the buttermilk to a bowl. Work in batches, dip the okra in the buttermilk, then coat the okra with the flour mixture. Make sure the okra is evenly coated.
Heat up a sauce pan or frying pan with 2 inches (5cm) of oil. Deep fry the okra (in batches) until they turn crispy and golden brown in color. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with a dipping sauce such as a spicy Ranch dipping sauce (just add Sriracha to it).
Notes
If you don't have buttermilk, just use milk and add a squirt of lemon juice, vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Course: American Recipes
Cuisine: American
Keywords: Fried Okra
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Crispy Fried Okra
Amount Per Serving (2 people)
Calories 183Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 599mg26%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 7g14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Okra is a nutritious vegetable that can be cooked by boiling or frying. Regardless of your cooking method, wash and slice your okra first. You can boil okra in slightly salted water. You can coat okra in cornmeal and then fry it in a frying pan.
Can you make fried okra with frozen okra? If fresh okra isn't available but you can get your hands on frozen okra, it works great for this recipe. Just let it thaw first before soaking in the buttermilk and dredging in the flour and cornmeal mixture. You won't even be able to tell a difference.
Lemon juice, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, or a splash of wine will not only add depth to your recipe, but it will also lower your slime quotient. A vinegar bath also does wonders to reduce the slimy consistency. Before cooking, soak the pods in vinegar for 30 minutes to help break up and dissolve the slime.
Place okra in a saucepan; add enough water to cover the okra and salt to taste; bring the water to boil. Cover the pan and cook eight to 10 minutes or until the okra is tender. Drain well and, if desired, toss with a little butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
The thing some people dislike about okra—the slime—is part of what makes it good for you, too. The gel-like substance is rich in soluble fiber, known for its potential to lower blood cholesterol and be fermented in the gut. This promotes the growth of healthy bacteria that helps break down food and synthesize vitamins.
If you cook okra with tomatoes, Kara explains, the acidity in the tomatoes will help neutralize some of the sliminess. 5. Fry in high heat. Even though she had patted the okra dry, Kara wanted to be sure to take most of the slime out, so she fried them in high heat.
Check to make sure the okra has firm green pods. The okra has spoiled if they've become soft, mushy, or brown. If it's spoiled, they lose its vibrant color and crunch. They may also have more slime by the bud.
The best side dishes to serve with fried okra are cauliflower mac and cheese, Korean corn dogs, crispy green beans, Asian pork chops, jambalaya, grilled Cajun shrimp, tzatziki sauce, chicken feta burgers, cornbread, fried chicken, collard greens, coleslaw, pulled pork sandwich, hush puppies, and Southern baked beans.
In order to not make it slimy, I wash okra thoroughly and let it sit on a strainer for sometime.Then,wipe it well with dry cloth to ensure that it is completely dry.Next, I slit it lengthwise and deep fry it. Once fried and crispy,sprinkle some salt,pepper and squeeze lime juice and tangy okra is ready.
It's rich in magnesium, folate, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, K1, and A. Okra may benefit pregnant women, heart health, and blood sugar control. It may even have anticancer properties. Cooking okra can be simple.
It fertilizes men sperm; because it is full of vitamins B and C, plus zinc and potassium which are great for sexual organs. Zinc helps to boost and maintain male fertility and also prevent gonorrhea, syphilis and dysuria. Consuming Okra powder with milk and honey help to improve men's health and stamina.
Absolutely not. They develop much more flavor if stir fried without boiling. You just have to slice them fairly thin put them in pretty early in the process, as they take a while to cook—a bit longer than the onion. If you include beets, turnips or parsnips in your stir fry, threat them the same way.
The short answer is no, you don't have to soak it before cooking, but some recipes suggest soaking the okra in a vinegar mixture to reduce sliminess. To soak okra, pour 125ml (1/2 cup) vinegar into a bowl. Add 500g okra (the ratio of vinegar to okra is 125ml vinegar to every 500g okra). Turn the okra to coat.
It depends on the size of the okra and whether you cut it up. Generally, you should cook it until it's tender. You can drink the water, but it probably won't taste very good.
Proponents of the beverage believe it offers many health benefits, including improved blood sugar management, weight loss efforts, and digestion. More recently, okra water has become a popular way to consume the plant and potentially gain some of its benefits.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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