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Southern Fried Okra

Source of Recipe

From "In the Kitchen with David" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"At every family gathering we went to when I was growing up, there was always a big basket of fried okra on the dinner table to accompany hamburgers, barbecue, or fried fish. In the South, if you have a vegetable garden, you grow okra. It's best in the summer, so if you find a basket at a good price, buy plenty. Then cut up the okra, bread it, and freeze it until you're desperate for a taste of summer during a cold winter."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound fresh okra
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 1 ½ cups buttermilk
â—¦ 4 to 6 cups canola oil for frying
â—¦ 1 ¾ cups cornmeal
â—¦ 3 tablespoons baking powder


Recipe

Remove the tips and stem ends from the okra. Slice the okra crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Transfer the okra to a bowl and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Add the buttermilk and stir to coat. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Drain the okra and discard the buttermilk.

Clip a deep-frying thermometer to the side of a heavy, deep pot. Add the canola oil to the pot and heat until the temperature reaches 375° F on the thermometer.

Mix the cornmeal, baking powder, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt on a large shallow plate to combine well. Working in batches, dredge the okra slices in the cornmeal and fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the okra to paper towels to drain. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings