fried okra

From my big veggie jackpot from volunteering, I still have a lot to get through before they go bad. Actually, I'm sad because I had to throw out the mysterious greens (no one, not even my mom, could identify them!) and a couple peppers. But I hope I'll get my eggplants before they go bad and I think the squash and potatoes won't go bad before I get to them. Anyway! I had a bag of okra that I didn't know how to handle, so I consulted Irma in the Joy of Cooking. There weren't too many options, and I wasn't really in the mood for stewing (or have any proteins to make anything more exciting), so I went fried. Not healthy, I know. I don't know if I didn't do something exactly right because they were still sort of crunchy and not as coated as the couple times I've eaten them in restaurants, but they can't have been too bad because I ate them all. With ranch. (Now I feel a little nauseous and guilty.)

I don't know how much okra I had, but it used most of the coating.

1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic or onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 lb whole okra
1/4 cup flour
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water
vegetable oil

Mix cornmeal, salt, powder, cayenne, and pepper.

I cut the okra into little slices, but Joy of Cooking says whole. Do as you please.

Dredge okra in flour. Dip that into the egg water mixture. Dip into cornmeal. Heat oil to 365 degrees F in a large skillet (I don't have a thermometer). Add okra to oil in batches, frying until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove okra with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.