If you like Okra, but don't like the stringy consistency when cooked, just slice and saute in a little oil until lightly brown. This will seal it, and then you can add other ingredients and it will not be "slippery". I add onions and green peppers with my okra as I saute it, and, sometimes, add tomatoes and heat through before serving.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I fried okra with a little oil and it was slimy and stringy. Then I put water in it to boil it and it still was the same. What can I do to get right?
By g.eva27@yahoo.com from Turlock, CA
Cook it like fried chicken. My mother makes okra with a batter layer and fries it that way. My dad eats like it is his last meal.
The key is to cook the okra in a small amount of oil-olive or coconut are good choices, slowly at a low to medium low temperature, stirring often so it doesn't burn, that way the water in the okra is evaporated and leaves you with yummy lightly toasted okra. Another way to cook okra that isn't slimy, saute with onions, garlic and tomatoes, the acid in the tomatoes cuts the slim and this mixture has a wonderful flavor.
I've always found that the lower the temperature when cooking okra, the greater the chance it's going to come out like slime. like Suntydt's mom, we batter our okra in a light coating of corn meal with an egg stirred in then fry it up with a little onion in a hot greased pan. don't normally have any slime or left overs.
It's important to have hot oil so your okra does not absorb the oil. Once it's in the pan try not to stir too much so the batter won't will fall off.
okra sliced 1/2 "
milk
corn meal
flour
Mix okra and 2 - 3 T. milk and let sit about 5 min., stir. You want the milk to get thick and gooey, adjust the amount of milk according to the amount of okra you have.
Mix corn meal and flour together with salt, pepper. I use 1/4 flour to 3/4 cornmeal, not an exact science so guesstimate.
Dredge okra in cornmeal mixture and fry in hot oil turning only once or twice until golden brown.
You can add cayenne pepper for a slight bite.
Ahh, the food of Gods!
Can you freeze fresh okra and still have the fresh taste when unfrozen?
By Kari Lansdale from AR
Absolutely, I've been doing it for years. Just cut it and bag it. I have gone to the trouble of laying a single layer on a cookie sheet and freezing overnight.
You certainly can have the fresh flavor of okra after it has been frozen. Just prepare it the way you are going to want to use it. Cut up if you want to fry it, or small whole okra if you are going to cook it that way, then freeze. When you get it out, use it from the frozen state, and you will find it keeps its flavor just fine. My favorite way to prepare it is lightly dusted with cornmeal, along with some cut up onion, and a firm tomato, semi- green if possible.
