KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — We have been on a binge lately, albeit of the healthier variety. To be precise, our treat of choice is spicy, crispy okra — perfect for snacking!

You won’t be wrong to assume that we typically enjoy okra (or lady’s fingers, as they are known in Malaysia) in their softer form, either stewed in curries or as part of a quick stir fry like the Four Heavenly Kings.

There’s no better way to enjoy these green pods, if you ask me, and normally I wouldn’t deviate from the standard menu in our kitchen.

Growing okra or lady’s fingers in the garden. — Picture by CK Lim
Growing okra or lady’s fingers in the garden. — Picture by CK Lim

However, given that we have been growing okra in our garden lately and the bounty is more than we can finish, it was time to look for new ways to enjoy them.

What a tasty dilemma!

Freshly harvested okra. — Picture by CK Lim
Freshly harvested okra. — Picture by CK Lim

Spicy Crispy Okra

Freshly harvested okra can be a thing of beauty. The trick is to look for straight or relatively straight specimens; the curving pods are a sign that they have bugs inside.

Don’t allow the okra to grow too big either; they’d be old and tougher. Instead, cut them while they are still young and tender.

After a quick rinse, slice each okra lengthwise. This will provide a larger surface area for it to crisp up when you bake them in the oven.

Slice each okra lengthwise. — Picture by CK Lim
Slice each okra lengthwise. — Picture by CK Lim

Yes, baked in the oven! Sure, one can deep fry them in oil and get an even crunchier result but I don’t think it’s worth the fumes and the extra fat.

No, oven baked is the way to go — seasoned with nothing more than salt, black pepper and some smoked paprika.

Simple but so addictive. Try it and you’ll discover what you’ve been missing.

Oven baked. — Picture by CK Lim
Oven baked. — Picture by CK Lim

Ingredients

10-12 medium pods of fresh okra

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Simple but so addictive. — Picture by CK Lim
Simple but so addictive. — Picture by CK Lim

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Rinse and pat the okra dry. Using a sharp knife, slice each okra lengthwise into halves.

Add the sliced okra, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper to a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly till well combined.

Transfer to a baking tray lined with aluminium foil. Spread okra in a single layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the okra slices have shrunk and developed crispy edges. 

Remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes, to allow any residual steam to escape. Enjoy while still warm and crunchy.