Okra.....Looking for recipe's ! How do you fix it ?

[gwpercle]

The okra plants are making pods like there's going to be no tomorrow, I can cut it twice a day and still not keep up. Right now I fix it four different ways :

1.) Pickled, whole small pods.
2.) Fried okra.
3.) Gumbo , with shrimp and/or chicken , smoked sausage , okra and tomatoes
4.) Smothered okra ,with shrimp , tomatoes, peppers and onions .

Does anyone else have any favorite Okra recipes or am I the only fool who plants the stuff?
The main reason I plant it is for Shrimp and Okra Gumbo . The stuff is so easy to grow and simply slicing it into a freezer bag and putting it into the freezer is easy .
But you can only eat so much Gumbo . Any other recipes you like?

Gary

[bikerbeans]

I don't know how to make ir but a cajun themed restaurant i used to frequent had breaded, deep-fried okra. I tried to make it but my coating wouldn't stick to the okra. The restaurant deep fried it whole and sliced. It was good stuff with an Abita Springs Amber.

BB

[frankenfab]

If you spread the okra out on a cookie sheet on wax paper and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so, the coating will stick better. This is true for anything battered, although fish never seems to need that treatment. Sliced yellow squash responds extremely well to it. Some times I will repeat the process before frying.

Fried okra is my favorite. It's also good raw. You can also dehydrate it for intense flavor.

[jdfoxinc]

Only in gumbo. Otherwise compost.

[gwpercle]

I don't know how to make ir but a cajun themed restaurant i used to frequent had breaded, deep-fried okra. I tried to make it but my coating wouldn't stick to the okra. The restaurant deep fried it whole and sliced. It was good stuff with an Abita Springs Amber.

BB

Slice the okra and drop into a paper bag with a cup of seasoned flour , it's much easier to fry sliced than whole , shake the bag until the okra gets coated all over, gently remove from bag with a slotted spoon and drop into hot oil, gently stir to keep slices from clumping...fry till golden brown. Remove from oil onto paper towels to drain.

The secrete is to just use seasoned flour or a mix 50/50 regular flour and corn flour....not corn meal but corn flour, it sticks better .
Gary

[lightman]

Fried is the only way that I like it. My Wife cuts it up in 3/8-1/2 inch pieces. Salt and pepper the Okra, roll in in a combo of 1/2 meal and 1/2 flour and fry in skillet.

[gwpercle]

If you spread the okra out on a cookie sheet on wax paper and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so, the coating will stick better. This is true for anything battered, although fish never seems to need that treatment. Sliced yellow squash responds extremely well to it. Some times I will repeat the process before frying.

Fried okra is my favorite. It's also good raw. You can also dehydrate it for intense flavor.
Dehydrated !!! Now that's interesting, do you slice the okra say 1/4 inch thick...tell me how you do it.
Gary

[Tatume]

Hi Gary,

I pick everything in the garden that is ripe, and slice and cook in a large fry pan. Every other day that includes okra. After the vegetables are soft I add meat, including ground turkey, shredded chicken, steak (usually cut up bite-sized and browned in a separate skillet), shrimp, or fish filets (placed on top and covered to steam). It's a one pan dinner, always different, always good. I love eating in the summer time.

Take care, Tom

[Hossfly]

Boiled to me is good. Just wash, cover with water, add salt if you want or not. Boil till tender, don’t take long, and don’t let burn. Just have to cross yo legs or it’ll slip right on through.

[Thundarstick]

Bhindi fry or bhindi masala

I had this in an Indian restaurant and learned to make it myself. Basically you cut up your okra like you are going to fry it southern style, but you don't bread it! You then deep fry it in plenty of oil until it begins turning brown and is about half it's original size, then drain it. You then make a concoction of onions, diced tomatoes, and masala seasoning (I add fenugreek seed to mine as well). Toss the okra and spicy tomato gravy like you would spaghetti sauce over noodles and serve. Yum yum the okra`s natural sugars are concentrated in the frying process to the point people think you added sugar to the dish. I made a batch for a pot luck at church a few weeks ago and brought back a dry bowl!

Ps I've also replaced the eastern spices with Cajun and that's pretty darn good as well.

[winelover]

Usually, just steam the pods, whole. Occasionally, the wife makes a dish with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, corn and cut up okra. Add a little rice and hot sauce to your taste. Pickled okra, I purchase.............Old South brand.

Winelover

[gwpercle]

Hi Gary,

I pick everything in the garden that is ripe, and slice and cook in a large fry pan. Every other day that includes okra. After the vegetables are soft I add meat, including ground turkey, shredded chicken, steak (usually cut up bite-sized and browned in a separate skillet), shrimp, or fish filets (placed on top and covered to steam). It's a one pan dinner, always different, always good. I love eating in the summer time.

Take care, Tom

Tom....I like this method, lets call it Tom's Garden Dinner...it's a winner !

[gwpercle]

Boiled to me is good. Just wash, cover with water, add salt if you want or not. Boil till tender, don’t take long, and don’t let burn. Just have to cross yo legs or it’ll slip right on through.
Hossfly , that brings back memories....it was my moms favorite way to cook okra. My Dad , brother and me thought it was slimey and wouldn't eat it. But I'm older now and taste change so I'm going to give it a try.
Thanks for reminding me , I had forgotten that method .
Gary

[gwpercle]

Bhindi fry or bhindi masala

I had this in an Indian restaurant and learned to make it myself. Basically you cut up your okra like you are going to fry it southern style, but you don't bread it! You then deep fry it in plenty of oil until it begins turning brown and is about half it's original size, then drain it. You then make a concoction of onions, diced tomatoes, and masala seasoning (I add fenugreek seed to mine as well). Toss the okra and spicy tomato gravy like you would spaghetti sauce over noodles and serve. Yum yum the okra`s natural sugars are concentrated in the frying process to the point people think you added sugar to the dish. I made a batch for a pot luck at church a few weeks ago and brought back a dry bowl!

Ps I've also replaced the eastern spices with Cajun and that's pretty darn good as well.

In Louisiana we call it Smothered Okra , okra, tomatos , onions, peppers , celery all slowly simmered and cooked down , except we serve everything over rice.
Basically the same recipe just with a different name, funny how cooking works.
Gary

[frankenfab]

Dehydrated !!! Now that's interesting, do you slice the okra say 1/4 inch thick...tell me how you do it.
Gary

My SIL got it at Kroger. It was whole pods 3-4" long. Delicious!

[owejia]

Wife makes a okra, tomato ,bacon salad. Southern fried okra with cherry tomatoes green onions and chopped up crisp bacon served at room temperature. Season to taste.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Boiled to me is good. Just wash, cover with water, add salt if you want or not. Boil till tender, don’t take long, and don’t let burn. Just have to cross yo legs or it’ll slip right on through.
Don't let it burn, you say?
Burn in a pot of boiling water?
I hope you are kid'n us?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My folks never grew Okra.
My veggie farmer friend got me to like it raw, must be harvested kind small. To be eaten right out of the garden, or refrigerated for a day or so. I like most garden veggies raw.

I've fried it a few times, just slice and saute' in butter.

I'm having a pretty good crop this year, they started about a week ago.

[Tatume]

Don't let it burn, you say?
Burn in a pot of boiling water?
I hope you are kid'n us?

Hi Jon, I think he means "don't let the pot boil dry. :-) Take care, Tom

[Tatume]

Who among you cooks okra with the caps on?

[Hossfly]

Yes Jon I meant don’t let pot run dry, cause it cooks fast not much water to begin with. Also you can steam it with the caps on. Better way to cook it.

[Hogtamer]

Frying green tomatoes, okra and the like....
DRY, WET, DRY
wash and slice, dry on paper towels. You need 3 containers from left to right they contain
1) all purpose flour, 2) egg wash which is whole egg plus equal amount of water wisked together, 3) all purpose flour with corn meal seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
with dry left hand dredge material in flour, coating well and drop into egg wash. with right hand take wettened product and drop into 2nd flour mixture. with dry left hand coat again in dry mixture and remove to collander to shake off excess lightly. Drop into 325* oil and fry until light brown. Drain and eat. Don't crowd the fryer or slap yo mamma.

[Thundarstick]

In Louisiana we call it Smothered Okra , okra, tomatos , onions, peppers , celery all slowly simmered and cooked down , except we serve everything over rice.
Basically the same recipe just with a different name, funny how cooking works.
Gary

Not at all! The okra and sauce are not cooked down together, they are tossed together, after cooking separate. The okra very much keeps it's identity both in form and taste. To me smothered okra is more like a thick stew.

For boiling, or stewing, I like the pods around 2-3 inches long with the base cut short, but not into the pod. I cook these in butter, in a small covered pan to steam in the butter, until just beginning to become soft, add seasoning, and enjoy whole. There not very slimy this way because you don't cut the pods open.

[10-x]

Back after 2 surgeries,10 weeks of doing nothing and now severe limits til Thanksgiving. So... did some cooking. New okra recipe is , tin foil on baking sheet sprayed with Pam, place washed, 1/2" slices " wagon wheel" on sheet. Spray them lightly with Pam, sprinkle bacon bits over them. Bake on 350° for about 30 min, sprinikle favorite shredded cheese over them for last 10 min. Can use a little bacon grease on tin foil instead of Pam. Enjoy.

[gwpercle]

Back after 2 surgeries,10 weeks of doing nothing and now severe limits til Thanksgiving. So... did some cooking. New okra recipe is , tin foil on baking sheet sprayed with Pam, place washed, 1/2" slices " wagon wheel" on sheet. Spray them lightly with Pam, sprinkle bacon bits over them. Bake on 350° for about 30 min, sprinikle favorite shredded cheese over them for last 10 min. Can use a little bacon grease on tin foil instead of Pam. Enjoy.

10-X , Good one !
Anything with bacon bits , bacon grease and cheese can't taste anything but good...adding this one to my okra recipe repertoire.... I just love quick and easy preparation and Q & E clean up (throw away the foil and you done) Winner , Winner !

Glad to have you back , I will put a few words in my prayers for your speedy and successful recovery.
Gary

[bikerbeans]

Frying green tomatoes, okra and the like....
DRY, WET, DRY
wash and slice, dry on paper towels. You need 3 containers from left to right they contain
1) all purpose flour, 2) egg wash which is whole egg plus equal amount of water wisked together, 3) all purpose flour with corn meal seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
with dry left hand dredge material in flour, coating well and drop into egg wash. with right hand take wettened product and drop into 2nd flour mixture. with dry left hand coat again in dry mixture and remove to collander to shake off excess lightly. Drop into 325* oil and fry until light brown. Drain and eat. Don't crowd the fryer or slap yo mamma.

HT,

I'm sittin' at the dining room table, i hope you are busy in the kitchen.:mrgreen: i am going to give this a try with green maters.

BB

[Hogtamer]

At each stage shake off the excess, trying to coat too much tends to make globs instead of a coating. You can use Panko crumbs for the last stage to make a more "professional" finish. Watch the oil temp too, consistent temp around 325 makes a perfect fry.