Let’s talk okra. But, dude, please—can wenottalk about the slime?
As an okra lover, I get downright offended when I confront the negative reputation okra has for sliminess. Whether fried up in crispy cornmeal or stirred into a rich-and-thick gumbo, okra is kind of the best thing ever, and no sliminess can change that.
But I get it. Slime is gross. Even the word is gross. So I set about finding a way to turn down the slimy texture so many hate.
And that's where things got a little toasty.
While flipping through The Lee Brother'sSimple, Fresh, Southern(my personal favorite guide to making Southern food more awesome), I found a method for an okra salad that involves lightly cooking the slices. Pan-toasting the okra, it turns out, you’re locking in the slime.
Here's how it goes: cut the okra crosswise into 1/2”-thick coins. Heat a dry non-stick pan over medium-high. Toast the coins, cut side down, turning occasionally, until crispy and golden brown, about 8 minutes total. Toss them with a little salt and pepper, and that’s it. The end result is charred, crunchy, and with a lot less slime.
Once you’ve piled up your pan-toasted okra, where do you deploy it? Honestly, it's good enough to eat on its own as a side. You can also throw it in a jambalaya forcrunch, ortoss the coins with ginger and scallionfor a quick appetizer. Or make a burger—and then make that burger southern bytopping the patty with some okra coins. And pimento cheese. Neither of which is slimy—got it?
