Starving Foodie

Unfried Okra
This is what I consider a Recipe in Training (RIT). A RIT is simply something that came to mind as an alternative or twist on a traditional dish. The goal is often not well defined, but tonight I was trying to get something like fried okra.  I try to make the dish healthier, pump up the flavor, and simplify preparation.  Often, I later discover my RIT is nothing unique, but at the time, I feel like I’ve made a scientific discovery or created a work of art.

Tulsa, OK and Okra and Nutrition
I grew up in Tulsa, OK. We grew okra in our garden. Picking the stuff required a wearing a long-sleeve shirt in the middle of a hot Oklahoma summer. The oils on the plant would make you itch for days.  Despite the toils of the harvest, I loved eating it. My family’s recipe was simple — toss a corn meal, flour, salt and pepper coating and pan fry until golden.

Okra is pretty nutritious, receiving an A on calorie count. This nutrition is quickly lost when you batter it and fry it.  So I wanted a healthier alternative.

Recipe Inspiration

I’m a fan of Indian food.  Curries, chaats and nans are terrific.  A couple of years ago, I had a dish called Sindhi Kadhi, a okra dish which is also fried, but I loved the flavor.  I liked the addition of other vegetables and despite being fried, the dish was lighter than the traditional southern fried okra.  So tonight, I thought about mixing some flavors and techniques to come up with a healthier version of fried okra.

Un-Fried Okra

Ingredients:
These are approximate. When creating new dishes, I often do things to taste. I’m also cooking for two, so I try to mentally guess the amounts and scale up. When the recipe is better developed, I can give more accurate measurements.

Serves: 4-6

1/4c Green Sweet Pepper Chopped

1/4c Red Sweet Pepper Chopped

1/4c Purple Onion Chopped

2 glove garlic crushed

2c Okra cut crosswise  in 1/2 slices

1/8-1/4 Whole Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs

1 tbsp of sesame seeds

2 tbsp of salsa (smoky flavor, mild worked well)

Salt, Pepper, Paprika to taste

1/2 tbsp Butter (preferably Danish or Irish for better flavor)

1/2 tbsp canola oil

Method:

I used a wok but any heavy skillet with a lid will work.

Add oil and toss in onions, garlic, and peppers over high heat for 2-3 mins. Some char on the bottom of the fine.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add okra.  Add 1-2 tbsp of water and cover.  You basically want to steam the okra until tender. Time and taste vary. Likely 5-10 mins.

Reduce heat to very low or remove from the heat.  Add salsa and stir.

Make sure any liquid has steamed off.  Push veggies to the side.  Add butter, sesame seeds, and bread crumbs.  Raise heat if necessary to melt butter and toast seeds and crumbs slightly.

Gently stir butter crumb mixture into the okra. You’re done!

Initial Results

I was pleased with the results.  The sesame and panko crumbs add a lot of texture and flavor.  Panko add good crunch.  The salsa, especially if smoky flavored, adds some nice zip.  Overall the dish had a very similar “mouth feel” as traditional fried okra but with more flavor.

RIT Workout

I need to work on the ratios of vegetables, try to further cut the fat, and get the ratio of bread crumbs right.  Also, need to find a way to get the smoky flavor without requiring some hard to find salsa.

RIT Grade:

I give this dish a B-.  That’s pretty good for a first stab.  Often my first attempts get expelled from training where they end up in the trash can.