Southern Fried Okra Recipe
A Quick, Easy, and Delicious Vegetable Side Dish
Fried Okra is Delicious When Coated in a Cornmeal Mixture & Fried. This is a Perfect Side Dish to Serve at the Next Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Soul Food Buffet!
Okra is one of the original “soul foods,” and, when coated in cornmeal and fried in bacon drippings as in the following Southern Fried Okra, it is a vegetable that even picky eaters will enjoy.
Type in the word “okra” on Google or Webferret and you will find hundreds of articles, many mentioning the fact that okra is definitely not a much loved vegetable! In fact, this pod-like vegetable, which originated in West Africa and is thought to have been brought to the US by slaves, is described by many as gooey or slimy. According to an article on okra from Vegetarians in Paradise (1/13/08), the slippery texture of okra is due to a substance called mucilage, which can be used to advantage as a thickener in soups, stews, and vegetable dishes. Okra is sometimes referred to as gumbo, the West African name for this vegetable.
Okra is very popular in the Southern United States, where a classic vegetable combination is Okra and Tomatoes. Okra also plays a prominent role as the primary thickener in some tomato based gumbos (although all gumbos, especially those in Creole cooking, do not contain okra). More popular, however, is this delicious fried version of okra. If you're trying okra for the first time, the following recipe is a perfect introduction.
Because of its popularity, many soul food restaurant menus feature Fried Okra as a side dish. The following fried version of okra is not at all slimy, and the quick frying method helps to preserve the vitamins and minerals of okra. The USDA Web Site (1/13/08) lists okra as rich in Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, and Folates, and as a bonus, okra is high in fiber.
Southern Fried Okra
6 Servings
- 1 pound fresh okra, cut into 1/2" pieces, or 1 16 ounce package frozen cut okra
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (according to taste)
- 1/3 cup bacon drippings, or shortening
Directions:
- If using fresh okra, wash the okra, but do not dry; if using frozen cut okra, there is no need to wash.
- Place the okra in a large Ziploc bag and cover with the buttermilk. Mix it around in the bag so that it coats all of the okra pieces.
- Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper; add to the okra in the bag, seal it up, and shake until each piece of okra is well coated.
- Heat the bacon drippings in a skillet over medium heat
- Add the okra and fry until crisp and well-browned on all sides. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 259 - Calories from Fat 109
- Percent Total Calories From: Fat 42% Protein 8% Carb. 50%
- Total Fat 12 g
- Saturated Fat 5 g
- Cholesterol 12 mg
- Sodium 222 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 32 g
- Dietary Fiber 1 g
- Sugars 0 g
- Protein 5 g
- Vitamin A 12% Vitamin C 27% Calcium 0% Iron 6%
