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Crisp Chile-Lime Okra





Total Time
35 mins

At Bollywood Theater, in Portland, Oregon, Troy MacLarty fries thin slices of okra to crisp wisps, tosses them in a tangy-spicy salt, and serves them with a refreshing raita (spiced yogurt; recipe follows). You’ll need a food processor with a slicing disk or a handheld slicer, such as a Benriner. It’s also helpful to have a fine-mesh metal skimmer for frying.

su-Crisp Chile-Lime Okra




 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
 1/2 teaspoon ground Indian red chili* or 1/4 tsp. cayenne
 1/2 teaspoon amchoor* (ground dried green mangoes)
 1 pound okra (preferably long pods), stem ends trimmed
  Vegetable oil for frying
  Double Cucumber Raita
  Lemon wedges
Step 1
1

Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Preheat oven to 175° and set baking sheet inside.

Step 2
2

Combine salt, chili, and amchoor in a small bowl and set aside.

Step 3
3

To slice okra with a food processor, fit processor with a 4-mm. slicing disk. Working in batches, fill feed tube with okra pods, laying them on their sides and filling the feed tube compactly; slice. Or slice okra lengthwise 1/8 in. thick using a handheld slicer.

Step 4
4

Pour enough vegetable oil into a large pot so it comes 1 1/2 in. up the sides. Heat over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360°.

Step 5
5

Using a slotted spoon or Chinese spider skimmer, lower one-quarter of okra into oil and fry until deep golden, 2 to 3 minutes; it will crisp up as it cools. Transfer to a bowl, season with spiced salt to taste (start with a little), then transfer okra to pan in oven. If you have a fine-mesh skimmer, use it to remove and discard okra seeds from oil. Return oil to 350°, then cook remaining okra the same way.

Step 6
6

Serve okra with raita and lemon wedges.

Step 7
7

*Find ground Indian red chile (also called chili powder, it's a mix of several chile types) and amchoor at Indian markets and khanapakana.com.

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
Calories 64Calories from Fat 64
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4.8g8%

Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
Sodium 386mg17%
Total Carbohydrate 5.4g2%

Dietary Fiber 2.4g10%
Protein 1.5g3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.