Fried Okra

breezermom's Note:

I am posting this in tribute to the hours I spent as a child picking okra in my grandparent's garden. I never knew fried okra was a vegetable growing up, I thought it was a special treat only available in the summertime. Frozen okra was thrown into gumbo, but when it was fresh, we usually fried it. (Unless Daddy requested "stewed" okra.....his favorite, not ours!) I can't believe this version isn't on food.com, but I couldn't find it. Here's to a wonderful childhood!

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 13 mins
• Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• vegetable oil, enough to fill your skillet no more than half way up
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 lb fresh okra, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (may use sauce pan, but you'll have to cook in more batches) to 350 degrees F.
2. In a plastic bag, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Shake it up to mix it up thoroughly.
3. Place cut up okra in a bowl, and pour the buttermilk over it. Toss it so that each piece is coated with buttermilk.
4. Add the okra to the bag with the cornmeal mixture in it, and shake it well to coat.
5. Carefully add the okra to the hot oil, and cook until golden brown. You may need to cook it in batches, depending on the size of your skillet or pan.
6. Remove from oil, and drain on paper towels. Test a piece to check and see if you need to add more salt. Do so if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Reviews

[Dienia B.]

these were good .i like the addition of garlic powder and cayenne simple to make , those that dont know about the brown paper bag for frying it really works to shake off excess breading but really coat the product

[Valeria]

I used the breading part of the recipe to make fried green tomatoes. Instead of buttermilk I used yogurt thinned with milk, and I used Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning since I had neither cayenne pepper nor garlic powder. Everyone who tried them was pleased with the crispness and flavor. Thanks for sharing!

[alligirl]

There's no place like home! I've always been a fried okra lover, and these were really close to the ones my mom used to make. She used cornmeal, which gives an extra crunch. She did not use cayenne, which I loved! Spicy and crunchy, why, they're almost potato chips! LOL Addictive and I'm fixing them again, soon! Thanks for sharing, breezermom!