When I was a child there was a Southern style restaurant in Sacramento.  I don’t remember the name and what else they served besides Moon Pies and fried okra.  I long as I got those two items I was a happy little girl.  Oh, and they also had some nail game – it was a board with holes and you moved the nails around…I have no idea of what the purpose of the game was.  I have a soft spot in my heart for Moon Pies and haven’t had one in years!!!  I recently found a recipe so I am going to attempt to make them one day soon.  Anyways.  This recipe here is for fried okra.  This is such an easy recipe that it could be done in your sleep, except that you might burn yourself with the hot popping oil.  Like most things Southern, I don’t think this appetizer is particularly healthy

Ingredients:

fresh okra (I bought a handful, if you can’t find fresh okra buy a bag of frozen okra)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Cut the okra into bite sized pieces; beat the eggs in a bowl then place the cut okra in the bowl, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet up, add a layer of vegetable oil and let the oil get hot enough that it pops when you sprinkle a bit of water into the pan.

3. Mix the cornmeal and spices together in a bowl.  Coat the egged up okra in the cornmeal mixture. Then, carefully place each piece of okra in the hot skillet.  The okra will cause the oil to pop and fly out of the pan, so be careful!

4. After the first side of okra has browned flip each okra over so all sides will brown.  Eat hot out of the skillet!