Baked Not Fried Okra Food

BAKED OKRA

Steps:

• Put okra in ziploc bag with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and shake until coated.
• Spread okra on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning pieces over once halfway through cooking.

BAKED CUT OKRA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Mix okra, corn meal, salt and pepper in a baking dish until the okra is thoroughly coated with the corn meal.
• Slice the butter on top of the okra.
• Bake for 45 minutes, turning half-way through with a spatula so the okra will brown evenly.
• Remove from oven and drain on a paper towel.

FRIED OKRA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak okra in egg for 5 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge okra in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly. Carefully place okra in hot oil; stir continuously. Reduce heat to medium when okra first starts to brown, and cook until golden. Drain on paper towels.

OVEN FRIED OKRA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet or sheet pan.
• Cook the frozen okra in the microwave using your microwave's frozen vegetable setting, or on high for 8 minutes. Drain and cool on paper towels, about 5 to 10 minutes. Spray generously with butter flavored cooking spray. Add the cornmeal, panko bread crumbs, garlic salt, and pepper to a plastic food storage bag. Place the okra into the bag and shake to coat the okra with the cornmeal mixture.
• Remove the okra from the bag and spread it on the prepared baking rack. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.

CRISPY SKILLET OKRA (NO BREADING!!)

Steps:

• Turn your skillet on medium heat and get it nice and hot.
• While you're waiting for the skillet to heat up, wash and slice your okra into 1 inch long sections.
• When the skillet is hot, add cooking oil (I use canola since olive oil can become bitter at higher heat) and toss in the okra. It should sizzle! This helps seal the juices in the okra and gives it a crispy outside.
• Stir the okra around until it starts to brown, then drop in your sliced onion and season with soul food seasoning (I love Sylvia's). Continue cooking and stirring until the onion is transparent.
• Remove from heat and serve.

SIMPLE FRIED OKRA

Steps:

• Slightly beat egg with fork in medium-sized bowl.
• Pour okra into bowl and mix until coated well with egg.
• Add flour and mix well.
• Preheat skillet on medium-high until hot then add enough oil to coat bottom of pan.
• Shake off excess flour from okra then carefully add to skillet. Flip over okra every few minutes, watching carefully so it does not burn on the bottom.
• When golden brown, drain okra on paper towels. Immediately sprinkle with salt and freshly-ground pepper.
• Enjoy!