Growing up in the south has given me quite an appreciation for some of our regional specialties including grits, greens, cornbread (my favorite recipe here), banana pudding, pimento cheese, pulled pork and okra just to name a few. Today we’re going to talk about okra.
What exactly is okra? Well, it’s edible green seed pods that grow on okra plants. Okra is a also a surprising nutritional rock star. It’s high in vitamin C, vitamin K and folate and is also high in fiber. I find the taste and texture to be very unique but really good.
Up until the last 5 years of so I had eaten okra one of three ways.
1) Stewed with tomatoes
2) Fried
3) Pickled
I love all of these preparations (seriously, if you’ve never had fried okra…get on it! and hot pickled okra…yum) but my mind was blown when I discovered two new ways to prepare one of my favorite southern veggies.
1) Grilled
2) Roasted
Roasted okra is incredibly simple to prepare and oh so delicious. When eating roasted okra I prefer to pick them up and dip them in an aioli rather than use a fork. It’s more fun that way. And anytime you can dip a food in something (especially your veggies), you totally should.
Lately I’ve been whipping up a Sriracha aioli to compliment my okra. With just four ingredients, this aioli is ready in no time. It’s also really good on veggie and turkey burgers.
The last of the okra are in season so if you can still find them I highly recommend you pick some up and try this recipe!
Roasted Okra with Sriaracha Aioli
Ingredients:
FOR THE OKRA
Okra (shopping tip…look for smaller pods, the large ones tend to be tough and fibrous)
Olive oil
Sea salt
FOR THE AIOLI
2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon low-fat mayo
1 teaspoon Sriracha or hot chili sauce
Squeeze lemon juice
Directions:
FOR THE OKRA
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread okra out on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Generously season with sea salt. Place in oven and roast for about 18-22 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. The okra is done when lightly browned and tender.
FOR THE AIOLI
Whisk together the yogurt, mayo, Sriracha and lemon juice. Season to taste. You may want to add a little salt, more lemon juice, more hot sauce, etc. depending on your taste preferences. This recipe can easily be multiplied and keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
Okra…love it, not so much or never tried it? If you love it, what’s your favorite way to eat it?
