Fried Okra

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb fresh okra pods
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cups fine yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups peanut oil

Before you cook

• Rinse the okra and dry the pods completely with a towel.
• Trim the stem caps and slice the pods into 1/2-inch coins.
• Beat the buttermilk and egg together in a bowl and add the okra coins.
• Stir the cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder together in a paper bag or large bowl.

Steps

1. Pour the peanut oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of 1 1/2 inches.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high until it reaches 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Lift a handful of okra out of the buttermilk with a slotted spoon and let it drain briefly.
4. Drop the wet okra into the cornmeal mixture and toss until every coin is coated.
5. Shake the coated okra in a coarse sieve to knock off the loose meal.
6. Scatter the okra into the hot oil in a single layer.
7. Fry for 3 minutes without stirring, then stir once to separate the pieces.
8. Fry 1 to 2 minutes more until the coins are deep golden and float.
9. Lift the okra out with a spider and drain it on a wire rack.
10. Salt the okra immediately while it is still glistening.
11. Bring the oil back up to 365 degrees Fahrenheit before frying the next batch.
12. Serve the okra right away with hot sauce for dipping.