Fried Okra

Okra grows well in the summer heat, here in Texas.  And buying it fresh and frying it up is SO much better than frozen okra any day.

My mom made fried okra when I was growing up, without breading it with flour and egg.  She used cornmeal, and it's oh, so simple.

Start with heating canola oil in a skillet until ready to fry.

Take a mess of fresh okra (we bought ours at a farmer's market) and slice it into 1/2 pieces, discarding the ends.  Toss it in a bowl of cornmeal, coating each piece well.

Make sure the oil is hot (drop in a piece and see if it sizzles),

Slide in the okra, careful not to crowd the pan.  Prepare a dish lined with paper towels.

When the okra is golden brown, toss it to turn it over.  The okra will be crisp and browned when it's ready to drain and place into serving dish.

Sprinkle salt over top and serve!