OKRA! The Seldom Celebrated Vegetable of the South!

    

 OKRA!  The Seldom 

Celebrated Vegetable of the

South!    

Just take a look at this beautiful bloom...who would imagine that the lowly okra would begin as such a lovely blossom?  I grew up with okra.  My grandmama fried sliced okra into a fried mush in an iron skillet or added whole okra pods to green beans to become a delightful slimy treat in fresh green beans doused with pepper vinegar.  In recent years it's become a side heavily laden with a crust that disguises the true flavor of this wonderful garden treat.  Recently I saw a recipe that sliced the okra pod lengthwise and fried the strands in canola oil and then tossed with salt and a drizzle of lime juice. I'm sharing this so you know my recipe is not completely original ( I added the tempura)...but, my, oh okra, my...it's really good!   First time I've ever drizzled lime over okra...I think it's the flavor secret!

Ingredient:

Okra pods...as many as you need...I used 5 just fore me

Tempura flour mixed with cold water...enough for the amount of okra you have (doesn't matter if you have left over tempura batter}

4 inches deep of canola or a good vegetable oil

sea salt

Lime

Steps:

Slice okra lengthwise in quarters

Heat oil in pot just before bubbling hot (I know, not a cooking term)

Add okra to tempura batter

Fry in hot oil until a light golden brown

Drain on layers of paper towels

Salt to your liking

Drizzle juice from lime over okra

     OKRA!  The seldom 

celebrated vegetable of the

South!