One of my favorite local eating establishments is Chai Pani, a restaurant that serves a delicious take on Indian street food. I’m a huge fan of their Matchstick Okra Fries, which I tend to always order as a starter. If I am dining with some first time visitors, their typical response upon seeing the dish is “what the heck is that?”. Next they compare the visuals to fried grasshoppers or burnt grass. Finally they try a piece, and then subsequently go on to devour the entire plate. This has happened time and time again without fail.
Kurkuri Bhindi (literally translates to crisp okra) is a traditional Indian side dish that involves coating okra with salt and spices and deep frying it. I found it’s a great change up from the traditional (and often gooey) corn meal encrusted fried okra.
Instead of the cumbersome and not-so-healthy process of deep frying, this method involves coating the okra in some coconut oil and baking it in the oven. The result is some crispy little fries that make a great side or anytime snack. Just a forewarning, you might want to double the recipe…these puppies are highly addictive.
Okra, also known as “Lady’s Fingers” or “Wicked Witch of the West Claws.” Ok, maybe I made that last one up.
Wash the okra and dry it well afterwards (this well help reduce the goo factor). Cut off the stem ends and slice the pods in half.
Combine with the coconut oil and spices in a large mixing bowl and toss well.
Spread the okra on a baking sheet and bake for around 25-30 minutes. You want the okra to crisp up and have a nice crunch.
Plate those fries up, adding a little more sea salt if desired. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top and enjoy!
Okra Fries
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh okra
- 1 Tbs coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2-3 lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse the okra and dry it thoroughly. Cut the stem ends off of the pods and slice them in half lengthwise.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil, salt, pepper, and garam masala. Add the okra and toss well to coat.
- Spread okra in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping the okra over halfway through.
- Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top and enjoy!
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