Simply Fried Okra
Serves 4
2 cups vegetable oil
1 pound fresh okra, stemmed and cut into 3 pieces each
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cornmeal or self-rising flour (or ½ cup of each, mixed)
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Put the okra in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and cornmeal (or cornmeal-flour mixture), and toss to coat evenly. (Alternatively, put the ingredients in a large plastic or paper bag, and shake to coat.)
Shake off any excess cornmeal, then carefully place the okra in the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes total, turning to lightly brown all over.
Use the slotted spoon to remove the fried okra and drain on paper towels.
Serve hot.
From Sallie Ann Robinson’s Kitchen: Food and Family Lore from the Lowcountry by Sallie Ann Robinson. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, September 2019. Reprinted with permission.
Photo by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn