| "Nuggets of Love" Fried Okra You know you're from the South when you have a passion for fried okra, which is an excellent side dish for just about any southern meal, particularly meals with rice, which is just about every southern meal. Fried okra sounds simple, but it's not as easy as it looks. I've worked hard to perfect fried okra, which I like to call "nuggets of love" because they're fun to feed to your lover. Speaking of my wife, I recently challenged my mother-in-law to a fried okra cook-off. Needless to say, my nuggets of love won "best taste" and "best texture," and frankly I'm not that concerned about "best appearance," which I lost (but who cares how yummy something appears if it tastes bad?). Anyway, I digress. Here's the real deal: INGREDIENTS One
pound fresh okra PREPARATION Place two layers of paper towels each on two large plates, and set them aside. Cut the stems off the okra and throw them away. Cut the okra into bite-size pieces (about a finger's width). Pour the vegetable oil into a large fryer (such as a large, very deep frying pan) or wok and turn heat to medium-high. While the oil is heating, whip the milk and egg together in a large mixing bowl. Mix the corn meal, flour, bread crumbs, creole seasoning, thyme, and salt in a separate large mixing bowl. With a large slotted spoon, place the cut okra into the milk/egg mixture and stir. Then, again using the large slotted spoon, remove the okra from the milk/egg mixture, let the mixture drain through the slots for a moment, and place the wet okra in the flour/bread crumb mix. Stir the okra in the mix well, to cover all surfaces of the okra. Turn the oil to high heat and wait for it to reach a very hot temperature, but not smoking or blackening. Test the oil with one okra nugget. It should cook very quickly and move around the oil somewhat (rather than sink to the bottom or stand still). Once the oil is ready, place all of the nuggets in the oil using the slotted spoon. Take care not to get burned by the oil, which will splatter a little at first. The okra should cook for 1-2 minutes or until medium brown. Remove the okra with the slotted spoon and place on one of the plates covered with paper towels, and spread evenly across the plate. Turn off the heat under the oil. After about 30 seconds, move the okra to the second plate covered with paper towels, to let them drain even more and to prevent them from standing in the oil-drenched paper towels on the first plate. Let cool briefly and transfer okra again to a third plate or platter to serve. Sprinkle with creole seasoning, salt, and tabasco, to taste. HINTS There are really two important tricks here: First, the temperature of the oil has to be really hot. However, you don't want to scold the oil. If the oil is blackening or smoking, than your heat is too high, so adjust downward. Once the okra is added to the oil, the oil temperature will drop slightly, which usually means you can leave it on high for the brief time the okra is cooking. But, if the oil gets too hot while the okra is cooking, adjust it down slightly. Cooking the okra on high temperature helps keep it crunchy, and the quick cooking time prevents too much of an oily taste. Second, it's important to drain the cooked okra really well. This, along with cooking it quickly, will prevent it from being soggy. Once the okra is drained well, spice it up a little, to taste. The slightly moist okra will retain the spices well, so a lot of the flavor can be adjusted after the okra is cooked. After the oil cools, you can save it in a jar to cook with again. This will prevent waste and help save money. |
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