Growing up in the south, the okra was abundant, so I was in for a rude awakening when I moved to California in my early 20s and discovered, much to me no likey, that okra was not, in fact, a nationwide phenomenon, but rather a regional delicacy that thrives in the hot, steamy clime of the Dirty South. Anytime I happened to stumble upon a rogue SoCal BBQ joint offering okra (a rarity, to be sure), I rejoiced.
Now that I’ve found my way back to the homeland, okra is once again abundant, and here in the south, we like our okra fried. In my kitchen, ain’t no one got time for a fryer, so I developed this recipe to satisfy my fried-okra lust without saddling myself with a fried-okra ass.
I’m gonna be honest: I’m so not down with okra if it’s not prepared right. Slimy? Hell to the no. This is okra done right. Warm, slightly crisp and satisfyingly salty, these are always a hit with my boys, who offer up glowing endorsements like “mmmm yummy” and “this tastes like french fries”. It’s super easy, minimal prep and extremely delicious, with zero signature okra sliminess.
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Roasted Okra
A roasted veggie side dish to rival any fried okra out there.