No one should be bored by what they eat. If the contents of your kitchen aren’t proof of that, then the internet is—we live in an age of information, where on the web you can find a recipe for practically anything and where the intricacies of food cultures are available to everyone, in books, on TV, and of course through bloggers. We all know now what tapas are, how to crack a coconut, and that sushi isn’t just a California roll. We ain’t in the 50′s anymore, and there’s no excuse to be bored by dinner.
It’s good to set goals. Try and eat something new once a week, or have something that you’d never before imagined cooking—or eating—once a month. Learn about all those weird seasonal vegetables that spring up now and then and figure out what to do with them. Or, you could take a dish you’ve had before and cook it in the tradition of another culture.
I’ve had okra before, but mainly in Creole gumbos (a delicious one of which I had this past weekend, made by Jim’s wonderful aunt Maria) or Cajun stews. Okra acts as a thickening agent in these dishes because of that sticky, gunky, oozing stuff inside of it (I looked for the technical term in the Oxford Food Dictionary, but they just called it a “sticky substance”) but since okra is one of my favorite components of these dishes, I wondered if it would be good on it’s own. Searching through my recipe books and on the internet, I learned that okra is a traditional Indian side dish—stir-fried in a wok with onions, chilies, and Indian spices. Since Jim and I make red-lentil dal at least once a week (using the leftovers as lunches), this technique sounded perfect.
The resulting okra was indeed sticky (or gummy or slimy–we couldn’t agree on a adjective), but coupled with the caramelized onions and chilies, and the earthy tones of the coriander and cumin, it was beautiful—complex and tasty. Not totally sold on the stickiness, we mixed the okra into our dal and were impressed by the depth that it contributed. I’m sure it would go wonderfully with black beans, though I urge you to make the okra separately, using this simple recipe, and then to mix it into your beans, or dal, or whatever at the table, because the caramelization of the dish is not to be missed. Maybe it will even transport you to new worlds!
(Though if it doesn’t, you could at least click on this video link for a laugh!)
Stir-Fried Okra
serves 3-4//adapted from Curried Flavors, Maya Kaimal MacMillian3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 green chili (serrano, Thai, jalapeno), split lengthwise and chopped (leave in seeds if you want added heat)1 pound fresh okra, trimmed and cut into 1/8-inch slices
Spice mixture:
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon red pepper (cayenne or dried red pepper flakes)1 teaspoon salt
Over medium-high heat, fry oil with onion and chili until soft.
Turn up heat to high. Add okra and fry, stirring, for two minutes. Add spice mixture and continue stir-frying until okra browns around the edges (15-20 minutes.) When browned, add salt.
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April 23, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Oh Robin you so lost me with the description of the dish…”(or gummy or slimy–we couldn’t agree on a adjective)”. I really like okra in gumbo etc. but I think I might not be cut out for the stir fry!
April 23, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Interesting….I’ve never really had okra except in small amounts in a stew or chili. To be honest, it’s a weird and scary looking vegetable so I generally stay away from it. Although at the same time, it reminds me of that wheel shaped pasta I used to love so much as a kid. Can you still buy that stuff?
- The Peanut Butter Boy
April 24, 2008 at 4:56 am
Gawd, it’s been far too long since I’ve had fresh okra served well! Lessee, what time does the veggie market open … cornmeal, gotta get some cornmeal …
April 24, 2008 at 9:01 am
Okra is really one of those foods that people either love or hate. I’m in the loving it crowd. I particularly like it deep-fried. You have none of the slime issues and all of the taste! I think I’d love your stir fry, slime or no slime!
April 24, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I love it fried too. never had it stir fried, it sounds intriguing. of course, if I made it, steve would kill me. ;P
April 24, 2008 at 10:00 pm
I’m an okra fan, raised in the south. My two favorites, aside from Gumbo are egg/seasoned flour coated deep fried 1″ pieces, and small half pods simmered with diced lamb in a spicy curry. C’mon people, live a little!
April 24, 2008 at 10:34 pm
You can minimize the slime factor in stir fried okra by allowing it to dry thoroughly after washing. Very definitely DO NOT rinse the okra immediately before frying or you will end up with a god-awful slimy mess. Stir frying really brings out the flavor of the okra.
April 25, 2008 at 12:35 am
yum, that stir-fry looks DELICIOUS! I’ll have to make this for my friends visiting this weekend since they’re gumbo/okra fiends!
April 25, 2008 at 7:18 am
Robin: Yum. Great photos — especially the knife one.
Also, I gave you an award on my blog …
April 25, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I love okra, even the gumminess. Will definetely try this one out!
April 25, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Tried this before. Hated it. A shame!
April 27, 2008 at 5:17 pm
For those scared of okra, give some okra fritters a try. they are crunchy and spicy and taste great as a side dish. But this recipe looks really balanced and I like the choice of spices used.
January 6, 2009 at 11:37 pm
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February 11, 2009 at 11:56 pm
The gummyness is the best part of eating okra!
August 18, 2010 at 1:02 am
I cook okra for my honney, his mother does it stir fry. I had never cooked Okra until he asked me too. I have to admit its delicious without being stir fried.