Today you can serve fried okra year round thanks to the availability of frozen okra. Fresh always seems better but frozen okra works very well in this recipe. You may be reluctant to do step 8 of the directions, but give it a try. If you do not like okra real crunchy, cook until brown with some green still showing.

Ingredients

* Vegetable Cooking oil, enough to cover okra completely in frying pan
* 4 cups cut up okra (or one bag frozen)
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 cup cornmeal (we prefer white but use yellow if that's what you have)
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in large frying pan on medium heat. Use a pan large enough not to crowd the okra.
2. Chop okra into 1 inch pieces (if using frozen, you can buy it already chopped).
3. Beat egg lightly in a bowl, add milk and stir well.
4. Add okra to the egg/milk wash. Stir to coat okra with mixture and let sit for 5 minutes in the wash.
5. Place the cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper in a separate large bowl and mix
6. Dredge the okra in the cornmeal mix to cover all sides of okra with mix.
7. Place one piece of coated okra in the hot oil and check that it immediately bubbles and sizzles. If not, the oil is not hot enough. Increase heat until you get the bubbles when adding one piece of okra.
8. If oil temperature is O.K., add all the okra to the skillet.
9. Cook the okra, stirring frequently, until it is one shade from burned! When done, the okra should not be bright green. It should be brown with a few black (burned) edges (about 15 minutes). (See pictures below)
Note: This is simply the way we like it. If you do not want it very crunchy, just cook until golden brown like picture on left below..

 

 

 

 

 

10. Place cooked okra on paper towels to absorb some of the oil. It will be VERY CRUNCHY! Serve hot.

Makes 3-4 servings

Okra is good served with Pork Chops or Fried Chicken and compliments other vegetables, especially tomatoes. The tomatoes just seem to bring out the flavor of okra....or maybe it's the okra bringing out the flavor of the tomatoes. Anyway they go together. Also, onion is good with okra. Just a slice of fresh onion on the side of the plate. Ummmmm, good!

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