California Soul Fried Okra
Okra is one of those special vegetables; when it’s in season, I always grab a pound or two….
I wasn’t always fond of okra. As a child, Mom would cook it in stews, gumbo and other dishes and I just couldn’t get over that slimy texture. I only knew that it had a different quality to it when fried—and that I enjoyed it like that. I had no idea I would develop such a taste/love for it as an adult.
These days, I like it in gumbo, I like it curried and I LOVE it fried. This recipe is my rendition of Southern fried okra. I use a mix of flour and cornstarch, plus tapioca flour (instead of cornmeal). I still like it with cornmeal, but I think it’s lighter and crispier this way.
I choose the “Indian Okra” when shopping because they’re so super green and long. It’s like you get more bang for your buck. They also fry up lighter and have less chance of being woody or fibrous. If you can’t find “Indian Okra”, you can use the standard variety—just make sure they feel soft and plump to the touch. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Ingredients
1/2 pound fresh okra
1 cup organic all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
3/4 cup tapioca flour
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. Keena’s Kitchen Creole Spice Blend
3 cups peanut oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
Wash okra in cool water and drain well. Pat dry with paper towel if needed to remove any excess water. Trim the ends where discolored or woody stems are present. Remember, you don’t always need to do this if they are fresh and well cut at the market.
Place okra in a large bowl or a large plastic ziplock. In a small bowl, crack open and beat your eggs until frothy. I like to use a hand mixer to get the maximum foam going! Pour the beaten eggs all over the okra and mix gently as not to loose too much of the foam.
In a separate bowl mix all of your flour and corn starch. Add to the mixture your 2 tablespoons of Creole spice and mix well. Coat each piece of okra in the flour, being sure to give them a gentle squeeze so the flours stick to them. You can pour the flour mixture into your plastic bag if using that method—but you’ll need to pat or squeeze them gently to make sure you’re getting enough coating on them.
In a deep skillet, heat peanut oil on medium to medium high until it comes up to 375 degrees.
Shaking off the excess flour, add the okra one piece at a time until you have a good sized batch inside the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan or they will come out too greasy and you’ll loose your coating. Fry the okra turning them gently until golden brown on all sides. About 3-4 minutes.
Using a webbed fry catcher to remove the okra from the pan and place on paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!
*For the best result, use all organic ingredients.