vegan Cornmeal Baked Okra

Okra Star or Okra Sun, whatever fancy name I want to give it, this is really a light snack called Oven Baked Cornmeal Okra.  

I actually have an ulterior motive for sharing this post today and presenting it like the sunshine ray of sorts, I am off on my first long (more than a long weekend) holiday in years - I am going to South of France, the journey begins tomorrow, so I will be taking a proper rest from blogging for a week or so.

Back to the Cornmeal Baked Okra.  Think crispy 'fish' fingers, crispy 'chicken' wings and you get the idea.  This is awesome and I say that as someone who has become a convert of the okra, lady fingers aka Bindi.  I absolutely hated it when I was growing up, but in the last 10 years or so, I have come to appreciate okra  much much more.  The viscous texture associated with okra disappears completely on baking.  What is more delightful about this finger food is that the okra is enhanced with  spices and crunch from the baked cornmeal.  You could easily chop these into bite size pieces and make turn them into Baked Cornmeal Okra Popcorn!

Vegan Vegetarian Jollof Rice

Early in the week, whilst I was doing some research for work (honestly I was), I stumbled on The Best Jollof Rice Competition held in Brixton, London today.  It the UKs first ever Jollof competition, in past there have been Best Rum Cake. Its hosted by The Afrikan Family Works. I  love these grassroots community spirited competitions.  I thought I would compete virtually with my vegan Jollof variation, but I sincerely wish the hosts and the participants the best and hope the event is a success.  

For those of you unfamiliar with Jollof.  Jollof rice or Benachin which means 'one pot' originates in Senegal.  Jollof is eaten all across West Africa and has recently become appreciated alongside the South Indian Pilaf and the Spanish Paella.

So here it is my vegan Jollof  rice.  I added peppers, okra and chickpeas to the Jollof rice only because I didn't have an accompaniment with it.  I am no expert at making Jollof, in fact this is my first time and I adapted and combined two different recipes, so I hope my blog readers of African descent will approve, or point me in the right direction, just please don't be mean.  

As a person of South Asian heritage who has seen so many much loved curry and dal recipes completely changed that they are no longer recognisable as curries or dals, I completely understand the reaction to this version of Jollof and I would agree we should not allow that version to become the official one just because it rates high in page rankings due to its celebrity association; and should respect it origins and roots.  Just think about it.  

The recipe will feed up to six greedy  people for sure, so we have eaten some today and will reheat tomorrow for our evening supper and some to spare.  Although I have written two Scotch Bonnets in the recipe instructions, I should be honest and point out that there is only one whole Scotch Bonnet in this pot, you can keep the seeds in it if you wish, but I won't begrudge you if you do wish to remove them.  

Gumbo Z'Herbes aka Green Gumbo

A week or so late, because this bowl of Green Gumbo would have been perfect to showcase during the Easter holidays. Green Gumbo is a Creole dish often made on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday.     

My reason for making it was very different though.  I have lots of greens in my overgrown garden: chard, curly kale and leafy purple sprouting broccoli, so these greens had to go into the pot along with spinach, celery, spring onions, green peppers and the most essential green vegetable: okra which came to me from my mothers (after her visit to the South Asian grocers).  Okra, a vegetable not to every ones taste and I have to admit I never liked it up until a few years ago, I guess with age your tastes change.     

I actually  have two vegan Green Gumbo recipes bookmarked to make, but I chose the one from Celia Brooks World Vegetarian Classics, simply because I have had the cookbook longest. Celia Brooks suggests serving it with some grated cheddar cheese, but we had it simply with some plain white rice.  The gumbo was interesting, it had thickened up by the okra, but it was not gloopy or stringy.  It was actually quite palatable, to enjoy it more though I did have to douse it heavily with hot sauce, but I am a sucker for hot sauce and spice.  

Southern Style Okra Gumbo

In an attempt to blog about food, I scanned through my food photograph on-line file and found this Southern Style Okra Gumbo that I had forgot to blog about.  I had made it some time last year when okra was in season.   

I could be really cheeky and call this a Welsh Gumbo just because it was made in Wales, but I won't take liberties, but it is vegan that much I must highlight. The recipe is adapted from the charming American Soul Food Chef Charita Jones, also known as Momma Cherri.  I have written about Momma Cherri before on my blog - see here when I made her awesome Sweet Potato Pies.

I have not always enjoyed eating okra also known as lady fingers due to its gelatinous and viscous texture, but over the years I have to enjoy it, especially when cooked right, especially when fried to crispness.    Well this is another okra recipe that got my firm approval.  

Crispy Okra Fries

Okra or green lady fingers as my Dad would often call them in order to make them appeal to me and my siblings curiosity; and in the hope that we would enjoy eating them as an exotic vegetable.  It didn't work, the gelatinous texture always deterred us.  However we were always in awe at its enchanting name 'green lady fingers' to us sounded like 'Green Goddess'.  Just imagine if they had been purple - 'the purple lady'.  Purple okra does exist, I remember last year fellow blogger, little black fox mentioning them and the possibility that she may be growing some this year, I wonder if she ever did. 

In the past I've shared one okra recipe that I could stomach eating.  Here is another one that I think you may also approve of.

Crisp Okra translated and known in the South Asian community as Akri Bhindi or Kurkuri Bhindi.  Imagine tempura and french fries combined, well I can only describe this as okra fries.

In order to elevate this recipe further, you do need to have a well stored spice cupboard as this relies on ingredients that are not often found in some peoples kitchen.  The two that I am referring to here are Garam masala and chaat masala.  Garam Masala is a blend of aromatic warm spices that includes coriander, cumin and cloves.  Garam Masala is often used as a flavouring in South Asian dishes sprinkled on dals, stirred into natural yoghurt or here as an additional seasoning.  Chaat masala is also a spice blend.  It traditionally consists of dried mango powder (amchoor), black salt (kala namak), coriander, cumin, dried ginger, black pepper, asafoetida, salt and chili powder. This spice combination produces a sweet and sour taste, reminisce of tamarind but in powder form. It is used to flavour a number of South Asian fast food dishes found at melas and fairground attractions, such as Aloo Chaat, dahi puri,and golgappay.  Its also great just scattered over sliced fruit like oranges, apples and pears.  I find that there is something quite addictive about chaat masala - In the past, I would often found myself dipping my fingers into the container.  I know, I know its a bad habit - that's why I don't do it anymore, not particularly hygienic.

I am not expecting you to go out and buy spices to make your own garam masala or chaat masala as there are plenty of supermarkets that now sell the spices ready made.  I hope you can find some.  If not, you can still make this recipe without, it will still be fine - just not as spicy.

You can enjoy the crispy okra fries simply as light nibbles, but I wanted to make more of a meal of it so made some spicy tomato sauce and served it with plain Basmati rice.

Crisp Okra Fries
Serves 4
Ingredients
260g fresh okra
Optional: 4 red chilli peppers
1 small onion
1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala or chaat masala 

60g chickpea flour
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Method
Cut the okra, chilli and onion into think julienne strips.  Add all the spices and flour and mix well to coat all the vegetables, you may need a teaspoon of water to combine.
Heat the oil and then fry the okra mixture until crisp and browned.  Drain and serve immediately; or stirred into the spiced tomato sauce.

For the spicy tomato sauce
Ingredients
8 tomatoes, roughly chopped or 1 x 400ml tin of tomatoes
2 - 4 long red chillies
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped
2 teaspoon of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of turmeric
2 teaspoons of paprika
2 teaspoons of garam masala
Salt to taste
6 tablespoons of sunflower oil
Optional: Handful of fresh coriander, minced
Method
In a food processor, blend the tomatoes, chilli, ginger and spices to a smooth puree. Season with salt to taste. Then in a wide pan, heat the oil. Add the blended sauce to the pan and fry over high heat for a few minutes. Then lower the heat and simmer for 35 – 40 minutes, about halfway through the process add about 200ml water to loosen the sauce.
When sauce is ready, gently add the crisp okra fries and heat together for a few minutes.  Garnish with optional coriander.

Ochre okra in masala

The Okra has many wonderful names, bhindi, bamia, gumbo and lady fingers.
But the thought of eating them, does not excite everyone including me. Although rather elegant on the outside, once pierced or sliced you note the texture, rather slimy like snot. And this itself is completely off putting. For them to pass my mouth, they have to be completely transformed. This dish is known as Masala Bhindi is one way I have come to eat okra.
Here they are sliced - I know some people will disapprove of me cutting them this way, as they like to keep okra whole when cooking. But okra cooked whole for me retains what I dislike about okra - its viscous glue like texture. Upon cutting you will see the tiny white seeds and the slimy texture will ooze out a little and touch your fingers. But don’t worry so much, let me assure you upon cooking the okra this way, the okras glutinous juice thickens sauce and completely leaves the okra rather silky and rather tasty.

I also think it looks rather pretty like this: a bowl of spiced green stars. Now that’s a good way to get your little ones to try them, just go easy on the spices.
Well to make this dry okra salan (curry) was not my idea. A couple of days ago, we went into KRK Continental Grocers, (a Pakistani owned grocery store) just near my old University to pick up some spices. D then saw these long green elongated lady fingers tempting him. He looked at me and said ‘I wouldn’t mind having some okra this week’. I know we’ve just missed the okra season and its not locally grown either, but its not often he makes these requests, so of course we did. Sometimes, you got to treat yourself, that’s of course if you see okra as a treat and D obviously does.

Traditionally you would eat it with a roti aka chapatti, but I think tortilla wraps work just as well. I know as I've eaten it that way.

Okra Salan or Masal Bhindi
Serves 4
Ingredients
150g full fat butter or ghee
2 medium onions, minced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 inch of ginger, grated or minced
1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
1 teaspoon chilli powder or to taste
½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
Optional: 2 fresh chillies, sliced
4 fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped or 1 x 400g tin tomatoes, chopped
250g – 300g okra, topped, tailed and sliced
Method
In a large wide pan, melt butter then add the minced onions and garlic and cook until transparent, add the spices, ginger and the optional fresh chillies and cook until the fat of the butter separates, by this I mean comes to the surface. Add the tomatoes and cook until well integrated (mash in if you wish). Be patient and allow the butter to come to the surface again. When this happens, then add in the okra. Stir in, let the okra simmer on high heat in the buttery tomato sauce for a couple of minutes, before turning the heat down and allowing the vegetables to cook through (about 20 - 25 minutes). During this cooking process, stir from time to time to stop the vegetables from sticking to the pan. The butter will clarify (rise to the surface) for a final time, this for me is an indication that the dish is nearly ready. Make sure the vegetables are tender and serve immediately as a dry salan. Eat this dish warm and quick, as its not particularly nice cold. Serve with rice, roti, chapatti or tortilla wraps.