Recipe: Naturally Fermented Okra Kimchi

Summer is here, and while our okra is still a ways off (I got a late start planting it this year), I ran across this recipe and it looks so delicious I can't wait to try it!

Many people are turned off by okra's "slimy" texture, but if you know how to prepare it properly, it doesn't have to be slimy. Breaded and fried, roasted or grilled, or pickled are just a few ways to enjoy okra without much of that sliminess. I enjoy them all, though grilled and pickled are my two favorites. (I happen to be fine with a bit of slime as well, so I also enjoy it simply steamed with butter and salt!)

I have pickled okra with vinegar and spices a number of times before, and it is always crisp and delicious, but I have never tried fermenting it. I absolutely love homemade kimchi, so I'm excited to try this recipe later this summer. In the meantime, I thought I would share it with you today, in case your okra is coming on earlier than mine. (If not, be sure to bookmark it for later!) Not only does this one look really tasty, but you'll also get to enjoy all the many health benefits of fermented foods.

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This recipe is from the book The Whole Okra: A Seed to Stem Celebration by Chris Smith, and was invented by Chef Steven Goff of the Aux Bar in Asheville, NC.

The key to this recipe is to roll the whole okra firmly in coarse salt before pickling. This allows the salt and flavors of the chi paste to penetrate the pods without releasing the slime inside. The salt will also help draw some of the moisture out of the pods before you begin. You can throw the whole pods into your fermentation crock - no need to remove stems or anything first.

Note: The chi paste recipe below makes a much larger batch than what you will need for this amount of okra. Feel free to cut it down if you like, or just save the leftover paste for another recipe. If you only want to make enough for this recipe, I would suggest quartering the amounts listed below - this will give you approximately the amount needed for one batch of kimchi.

Okra Kimchi Recipe
Makes: About 1 Quart

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (75 g) dried peppers (he used arboles)
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1 cup (250 ml) canola (or avocado) oil
• 3 onions, julienned
• 2 leeks, sliced
• 1 cup (140 g) crushed garlic cloves
• ½ cup (50 g) chopped ginger, not peeled
• 1 cup (120 g) bread flour or whole wheat flour
  
• 1½ cups (375 ml) cider vinegar
• ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
• 1 pound (453 g) whole okra pods

Instructions:

Chi Paste

1. Plump the dried peppers by soaking them in the water.
2. Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium-high.
3. Add the onions, leeks, garlic, and ginger once the oil begins smoking. Continue to sauté the vegetables until translucent.
   
4. Add the flour, vinegar, and sugar and cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in the soaked peppers and soaking liquid and stir until well blended and thickened.
   
5. Purée with an immersion blender while the mixture is still hot.
   

Okra

1. Roll the okra pods over a layer of coarse salt, sprinkled on a table or countertop. The aim is to puncture the pods with the coarse salt. Roll each pod individually and pile them all in a bowl.
2. Let the okra and salt sit and sweat for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Slather the okra liberally with the chi paste and then pack the mixture tightly into the jar.
4. Cover the jar with plastic wrap and push out any remaining air. If there are any air gaps at the top of the jar, you can push the plastic down and fill with water to remove them. (Alternatively, you can also use jar weights, or make it in a fermentation crock.)
5. Cap the jar and leave at room temperature for at least a week. Burp the jar frequently and refrigerate when the okra is sour enough to suit your tastes.

The promised result is tangy, spicy, and crunchy deliciousness - my mouth is already watering just thinking about it! :-)

Enjoy!
Rose.

P.S. I know from experience that okra can be quite plentiful in the summer (to say the least), so if you're looking for more delicious okra recipes, be sure to check out The Whole Okra - available now at Amazon.com and other booksellers.