Okra

Okra Supreme

(this is good by itself, with a side of yogurt or as an accompaniment to a curry dish)

This stir-fried okra is easy to make, and so delicious that it will surprise even the reluctant. The cut pods release a glutinous sap, so the rinsed okra must be dried thoroughly on paper towels before it is cut, to prevent excessive stickiness. Since this is a pan-fried vegetable, cooked without water, a non-stick frying pan is ideal, using a minimal amount of oil to yield the lightly browned vegetable.

Serves: 4

• 1 pound fresh okra
• 3-4 tablespoons ghee or peanut oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• wash the okra and dry thoroughly on paper towels. (can also air dry in the sun, if it is a warm day). Trim off the tip and stem, and slice into rounds 1cm thick.

• in a large, heavy frying pan, preferably non-stick, heat the ghee or oil over moderately high heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add the okra in a single layer and reduce he heat to moderate. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown the okra evenly. Toward the end, add the ground spices, raise the heat to moderately high and, stirring steadily, fry until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with salt, toss to coat the okra evenly, and let it sit, covered, for 1 minute before serving.

From: The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine; Favorite Recipes from the Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking, by Yamuna Devi (E.P. Dutton/Bala Books, 1987)