When people think of okra, they often think of slime and goo, but I’m here to tell you that, with the right technique, the tender green pod might become your new favorite vegetable.
Growing up in Pakistan, okra was always golden and crisp but also tender, robed in a saucy masala of juicy tomatoes and velvety onions. I still make it this way in my New York kitchen whenever I return from the farmers market with a bag of okra. Following my mom’s recipe, I start with a base of garlic, ginger, chile powder, and turmeric. Then I add the onions and fried okra and simmer everything to meld the flavors.
Sadly, I can’t always find okra at my local farmers market, but a bag of the frozen stuff from the Indian supermarket works great in a pinch. It comes stemmed and sliced, which saves me time in the kitchen; I just cook it a little longer and don’t deep-fry it (the extra water makes it splatter).
When buying fresh okra, look for medium pods that are bright green, dry, unblemished, and no longer than your index finger: The bigger, the tougher is the rule I go by. Okra is surprisingly inexpensive and will keep for about four days, refrigerated in a paper towel-lined produce bag. You can use any extra okra in this Caribbean-Style Sautéed Okra recipe, which is a personal favorite.
To clean okra, give the pods a rinse, then spread them on a kitchen towel. (They soak up water, so it’s important that they be as dry as possible to ensure proper crisping.) With some quick prep, this stir-fry comes together in no time. I encourage you to sop it up with roti (flatbread), like chapatis or parathas, or to ladle it over basmati rice.
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 lb. okra, stemmed and cut into 1-in. lengths (5 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
- 1 tsp. Indian red chile powder, or cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
- 2 medium plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
- Steamed basmati rice or roti, for serving
Instructions
- To a large, wide pot over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s shimmering and begins to smoke, add the okra and fry, stirring continuously, until softened and browned, 10–15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. To the empty pot, add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, 4–6 minutes. Add the ginger paste, chile powder, garlic paste, turmeric, and salt and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened, 4–6 minutes. Stir in the reserved okra and continue cooking until the tomatoes have broken down, 2–3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and serve hot with rice or roti.
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