Okra -- ready to microwave
Okra -- ready to eat!
Okra doesn’t have to be slimy! In this fat-free recipe, the okra is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
Okra is available at well-stocked supermarkets and Asian markets. At Asian markets, you can also pick up besan (gram) flour. Made from ground chick peas, besan flour is a great gluten-free substitute for wheat flour when used for coating foods with seasonings. Just remember that because besan is ground up chickpeas, it naturally contains the oil of the chickpea and therefore it’s best to store besan in your freezer to maximize the shelf-life (keep the oil from going rancid).
I highly recommend you give this recipe a try! It’s delicious and easy to make!
Ingredients
14 ounces okra
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon besan flour
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoon ground corriander
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red chile powder
pinch asafoetida
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
If the glass go-round in your microwave is removable, take it out of the microwave, clean it (if needed), and place it on the kitchen counter. If the go-round is not removable, find a large, microwave-safe plate; set it aside.
Rinse the okra; do not dry. (The water clinging to the okra after rinsing, helps the seasonings stick.)
Cut almost all of the stem off each piece of okra and then slit each piece of okra in half, lengthwise; set okra pieces aside.
Into a large bowl, place remaining ingredients – the seasonings. Mix the seasonings with your hands (be sure that your hands are dry) until well mixed. Add reserved okra and, using your hands, mix the okra around so that it gets evenly coated with seasonings.
Place seasoned okra directly on the microwave go-round (or large microwave-safe plate), with cut end facing up and stem end facing out. Scrape the last bits of seasoning out of the bowl and scatter the remaining seasoning over the okra.
Place okra-filled microwave go-round (or plate) back into microwave oven. Heat on high for 8 minutes. Check for doneness — which in this case means crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It will probably need another 2-4 minutes, depending on your microwave.
BE CAREFUL: The microwave go-round gets hot!
Enjoy and be healthy!
~Leni
