Slippery, slimy, mucky. All these epithets have been used to describe okra by the haters of this innocuous green vegetable. And I actually can understand these descriptions. They can be rather apt if the okra is prepared incorrectly (and if you are not a fan of snot). But many of us love escargot and eat them with glee. Surely these monikers could also describe a snail, pre-cooking mind you; so let’s give the same attention to preparing okra as we would those mollusks. For the novice, the okra-hater, I give you an okra salad in which to revel.
I have found that slicing the okra lengthwise, rather than the typical, flower-shaped round, and browning in a scorching hot pan mediates the slime quite nicely. I think okra is rather fascinating. It is like one of those before and after makeover pictures you see in women’s magazines. Calm and self-contained when raw (before), you unleash the ooze upon first cut (during the makeover), then it transforms into a toasty brown and reaches glowing new heights (after). So it is true that upon slicing the okra into shards, you will get some of that omnipresent goo. But what’s a little goo among friends?
You can do the slicing of the okra on a mandoline if you have one, or simply with a knife. Some olive oil in a skillet, heated HOT, and you’re almost there. Saute the okra for about 5 minutes, moving them around often. You’ll see some slime, webs of clear goo emitted from these tender stalks, but bear with it. Toss in a sliced red onion, and some thickly sliced garlic and continue sauteing for about 3-5 minutes. There is a grace period to be achieved, a moment when the slime has all but disappeared, and before the okra gets overcooked and slimy once again. So look for this moment.
When the ideal moment of anti-muck has arrived, turn off the stove. A squeeze of lime, a seasoning of salt and pepper, and you are ready to eat. This is a wonderful side dish even served at room temperature, perhaps with a thinly sliced tuna steak. Be brave dear readers, give the slime a try, you won’t be sorry that you did.
