Aunt Betty’s Comfort Kitchen · Vegetables

Fried Okra

Crisp Southern fried okra — sliced rounds soaked in egg and buttermilk, dredged in a flour-and-cornmeal coat, and fried golden. The kind of side that disappears off the plate before dinner's served.

15 min prep 375°F fry

Effort ●●○○ Time ●○○○ Anytime

Vegetarian

Servingsamounts scale to match

Units

Ingredients

Soak in the egg-and-buttermilk, then dredge in small batches. The buttermilk-egg bath is what makes the cornmeal coating cling. Dredge and fry only a handful at a time so the oil stays hot (375°F) and the okra crisps instead of steaming.

Easier, if you like

Frozen cut okra (thawed and patted dry) skips the slicing.
A bag of seasoned fish-fry or “fry” coating can stand in for the flour-and-cornmeal mix.

Method

Cook's notes

Self-rising flour and cornmeal mix already carry leavening and salt — that's the Southern shortcut for a light, crisp coat.

Small batches keep the oil hot. Crowding the pan drops the temperature and steams the okra soft.

Fresh okra fries up crispest; frozen cut okra works if you thaw and pat it very dry first.

Best eaten hot and fresh — it softens as it sits.

Vegetarian as written; easy to make gluten-free or dairy-free

Gluten-free: use a gluten-free self-rising flour blend with the cornmeal (plain cornmeal is gluten-free — check the mix, or use all GF cornmeal).

Dairy-free: use a plain non-dairy milk plus 1 tsp vinegar in place of the buttermilk.