Best 7 Crispy Okra Recipes

SHELLFISH AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO WITH SHRIMP, SCALLOPS, CLAMS AND OYSTERS WITH CRISPY OKRA

Steps:

• For the gumbo base: Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add the andouille and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Do not drain. In the same pan, cook the celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper and garlic until soft.
• Melt the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Gradually add the flour, stirring occasionally. Cook the mixture (roux) until it's a light-caramel color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion mixture and cook for about 3 minutes, without stirring.
• Bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Whisk in about 6 cups of the stock into the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, add the andouille sausage and continue simmering for about 20 minutes, add more stock if the mixture is too thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• For the seafood: Heat 2 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan, over high heat until almost smoking. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear the scallops, on one side, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate.
• Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining olive oil. Heat over medium-high until almost smoking. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook until just pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and set aside with the scallops.
• Add the scallops, shrimp, oysters and crab to the sauce and continue cooking until oysters are plump and cooked.
• For the Crispy Okra: Heat 2-inches of canola oil in a high sided saute pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• Place the cornmeal in a shallow baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
• Season the okra with salt and pepper and toss in the cornmeal. Fry the okra, in batches, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to the baking sheet and season with salt.
• Divide the seafood among 4 shallow bowls, ladle in some of the sauce and sausage and add the honey and garnish with the fried okra and chopped parsley and cilantro.
• In a large saucepan over high heat, heat the oil until amost smoking and saute the shrimp shells and tails, onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the water, wine, tomato and bay leaf. Reduce to medium, partly cover, and simmer 40 minutes.
• Strain though cheesecloth or a fine strainer.

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.

FRIED OKRA WITH CRISPY PARMESAN COATING

Steps:

• Clean and slice okra, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Beat egg in a shallow bowl.
• Place grated Parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl.
• Pour okra into the beaten egg.
• Stir until every okra slice is wet from the egg.
• Remove with a slotted spoon, and place into the bowl with the Parmesan cheese.
• Stir until every okra slice is covered with cheese.
• Place oil in heavy pan to at least 2" in depth.
• (I use a deep fryer.) Heat until a single slice of coated okra dropped into the oil starts sizzling.
• Add the okra to the hot oil.
• Depending on the size of the pan, you may have to do this in two batches.
• Remove when the okra slices are golden brown and crispy.
• Drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.

CRISPY FRIED OKRA SALAD

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels; crumble into a large bowl.
• Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry okra in the hot oil, turning often, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add to bacon in the bowl.
• Toss tomatoes, red onion, garlic salt, salt, and pepper together in a separate bowl. Stir into the bacon and okra mixture.

CRISPY OKRA SALAD

Steps:

• In small mixing bowl, stir together onion, tomato, and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In wide, 4-inch-deep heavy pot over moderate heat, heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches oil until deep-fat thermometer registers 350°F. Fry okra in batches (returning oil to 350°F between batches) until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer fried okra to paper towels to drain.
• In large mixing bowl, combine okra, onion-tomato mixture, lemon juice, salt, and chaat masala. Toss gently and serve immediately.

CRISPY INDIAN OKRA

Steps:

• Cut each okra pod vertically into 4 long pieces. Place in a bowl with chickpea flour, ginger paste, lemon juice, chile powder, turmeric, asafetida, carom seeds, and salt; toss to coat.
• Heat 2 inches oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Lower okra carefully into the hot oil in batches. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining okra.
• Serve sprinkled with chaat masala.

~ CRISPY FRIED OKRA ~

Steps:

• 1. In a colander, rinse okra and drain well. Can toss in some buttermilk now, if desired. Drain. I use my cast iron skillet to fry, but you can use any large skillet, preferably like a chicken fryer. I add about 1/4 cup oil for each batch I fry, can add more if becomes too dry before desired crispness. Heat oil over medium high heat. In a large ziplock baggie, add flour, corn meal and seasonings, zip shut and toss around in hands to mix. Add a couple handfuls of okra to the bag and toss to coat. Working quickly. Add to hot oil, trying to let excess coating fall through your fingers, back into bag. Be careful not to stir too quickly, let okra become golden on one side, then flip and fry until golden on that side. Repeat with remainder of oil and okra. If you run out of coating, just mix up some more. Pretty simple. Note: I preheat my oven to warm and cover a sheet pan with paper towels and as each batch of Okra finishes I drain onto pan and place in oven after seasoning with salt while hot.