Okra Salad With Spicy Chinese Sauce

Even avowed okra-phobes love this salad, which is seasoned with Chinese spicy sauce. The okra cooks for only 2 minutes in salted water, and the resulting flavor and texture are somewhat reminiscent of asparagus.

 

Ingredients:

1 lb okra, halfed
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cooking oil, like peanut or vegetable
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon hot red pepper
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablepoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

 

Direction:

Step 1:   Cut off the tip of each okra.    Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Add okra and cook for 2 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain and rinse with cool water, then blot with a kitchen towel. Set aside.

        

 

 

Step 2:    Mince garlic and hot red pepper.    Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar. Mix well.    Heat a small pan on medium-low heat. Add cooking oil.  Once reach smoking point, pour oil into the bowl of garlic and red pepper mixture.

        

 

 

Step 3:    Cut each okra into half.   Put on a plate.   Pour sauce over okra.   Serve at room temperature.