Okra Fries
Welcome to my Ayurveda & Yoga blog! I’m Evangeline and I’m an RMT and holistic health coach. I started my blog during covid to stay connected to my clients and share my love of cooking healthy, AYURVEDIC INSPIRED meals.
Ayurvedic cooking is a conscious approach to preparing and cooking tasty, nutritious, balanced meals using spices and herbs, and taking into consideration the external conditions- the season, time of day, and how you are feeling and the state of your health.
Remember when you studied biology and learned about form and function, right down to the cellular level? With okra there is a reason for its slimy, somewhat sticky quality. In Ayurveda, binders, such as okra, have the ability to bind toxins in the body to prepare for elimination, which is why it is in the list of Ayurvedic detox foods with asparagus, white daikon radish, bitter melon, karela, lauki squash and taro. Other binders include taro, eddo, cassava (tapioca), arrowroot and barley.
Okra is classified as a fruit, however, in cooking, we think of it as a vegetable commonly added to stews and soups, like gumbo. In Ayurveda, okra is traditionally added to stew like dishes, like in kichari. Okra is added in pinakbet, a traditional Filipino vegetarian dish with bitter melon, and other root vegetables. I remember my mom making pinakbet regularly, and we all got used to the bitter taste of bitter melon, and now as I look back, the bitter taste balanced out the sweetness of the root vegetables, and enhanced by the earthy quality of the okra. The very slippery nature of okra may not be appealing to some. Baking okra dries out its slippery quality, but still maintain some its moisture, plus it satisfies cravings for fries, in our household.
My kids love these okra fries! They are easy to make and you can spice them up any way you like. We’ve also enjoyed them with fresh rosemary or thyme. I like to heat up the spices with the ghee in a fry pan before baking them in the oven. Otherwise , you can cut them up, put them in a bowl with olive oil or melted ghee and coat them with spices that way before baking in the oven.
Okra Fries
Servings: 2 - 3
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
20 pieces okra, cut lengthwise and tops removed
2 Tbsps melted ghee or olive oil
1 Tbsp Spice Mix - recipe below
½ tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea or soma salt (less or none if doing a detox)
Spices with heating elements you can add to spice up your Okra Fries:
Fenugreek - supports fat and overall metabolism
Kalunji - stimulates digestion; sharp and pungent
Thai Green Chili - heating but not as pitta aggravating as red chili because it has more soma
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Cut okra lengthwise and place in a large bowl.
Sprinkle spices, black pepper, salt and olive oil or melted ghee and toss about to coat the okra thoroughly.
Transfer onto lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
Enjoy!
Spice Mix Recipe
My go-to spice mix I learned from my Ayurvedic teacher Vaidya Mishra. These spices are available in just about any grocery store and not only adds flavour to any dish, but also aids in digestion and absorption of nutrients. Try to get non-irradiated and organic, and seed form as they remain fresh longer than ground spices.
6 tsps fennel seeds
6 tsps coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
Grind fennel, coriander and cumin in a spice grinder, then combine turmeric.
Store in a jar with a lid in a cool place. Keeps for 4-6 weeks.
When travelling, dry toast the fennel, coriander and cumin seeds first on a fry pan in low heat until aroma is released, then grind. Sprinkle onto food to super-spice charge your meals.
This is a basic spice mix or masala that I turn to for many meals. I also add other spices to this mix, depending on what my family would like to eat or if anyone needs extra attention with their tummy. As you learn more about qualities and taste of spices creating your own combinations is a lot of fun. Ayurveda provides us details on the medicinal qualities of spices and herbs. If you’re new to spices just start with a pinch or two in your meals. The book The Yoga of Herbs is an excellent reference guide. Also my Ayurveda teacher Vaidya Mishra has made available to us a line of Ayurvedic formulations and products to care for your health, including a line of spice mixes.
Ayurvedic Profile of Spices in the Okra Fries Recipe
Coriander - ushers heavy metals and toxins to kidneys for elimination; cooling quality
Cumin - helps in absorption of nutrients
Fennel - supports digestion; cooling quality
Fenugreek - supports fat and overall metabolism
Kalunji - stimulates digestion; sharp and pungent
Turmeric - cleans the liver; anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral
Thai Green Chili - heating but not as aggravating as red chili because it has more soma
References
Vaidya R. K. Mishra- Notes from Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda Courses, Practicum, Conferences and Lectures 2003-2015