Fried Okra

Fried okra is a southern dish that has made its way into my heart since I was younger. Every time we went on trip to the southern states it was a must. I remember the first time I ever had it, and from then on it was my goal to find a good recipe and make it at least once a summer. 

Here is the recent recipe I tried. 

First a few things you need to know about okra. You want fresh, ripe okra. That being said here’s how to tell, when you’re cutting it if it cuts easily and doesn’t make a crunching sound, like celery does, that means it’s fresh and not woody. It gets kind of slimy too, just for warning you.

Once you slice them, dust with 2 tablespoons of flour, dip into buttermilk, then into flour mixture. 

What you’ll need:

Vegetable oil
½ cup cornbread muffin mix
1 cup flour (plus the 2 Tbsps)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp black pepper
1 lb okra (ends removed and sliced)
1 cup buttermilk
1 ½ tsp hot sauce (any kind) 

Directions:
In a sauce pan or heavy bottom  pan, heat 4-5 inches of oil and heat up to 350°F. Mix together Flour, cornbread mix, and all the seasonings. Sprinkle the dusted okra with salt and pepper. Mix the hot sauce and buttermilk together in separate bowl. 

Dip okra into buttermilk mixture then into the flour-cornmeal mixture. Shake off excess flour then add to hot oil, (be careful not to burn yourself). Fry in batches until golden, time will vary. Remove from oil and place on paper towel to drain. Dust with salt immediately after removing. Serve with favorite dipping sauce.


Enjoy!

If you have a favorite Okra recipe, please share it I'd love to try different one!