Fried Okra

This is one of my recipes that I LOVED from childhood.  It was always one of my favorite things my Mom made in the summer and she and I were always the only ones in the family who liked it.  More for us!  Lucky for me, my husband loves fried okra too so I have someone to get excited about having it a couple of times each summer. 

I'm never a fan of fried okra from restaurants and definitely NOT the frozen kind.  They use cornmeal which is heavier and thicker.  My Mom always made it with flour which is much lighter and crispier.

A note: if you buy fresh okra, the best place to do it is from your local farmer's market.  You can get it from the grocery store but usually only in the summer months.  Once you buy it, use it within the first day or two.  There is nothing worse than slimy okra. 

You'll Need:
fresh okra (about a pound will serve four people)
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
salt pepper
1 cup flour
1 egg, whisked

What you do:
Chop the okra into small bites.  The smaller they are, the crispier they'll get.  I like to put mine directly in the ziplock bag I'll toss them in to save dishes.

Season generously with salt and pepper.  In a separate bowl, whisk egg.

Add the okra to the bowl with the egg and coat.  In the ziplock bag, pour in the flour. 

Add the okra to the bag with the flour, seal up and shake until all of the okra is coated in flour.

Heat oil in the pan.  Add the okra and crisp and brown.  Drain the oil after cooking on paper towels.  Serve immediately and enjoy!