For the born-and-bred Southerner, few culinary experiences rival the intense satisfaction of biting into perfectly fried okra.

“Whether it was at Sunday dinner, in a cafeteria or in a restaurant, a meal simply wasn’t complete without fried okra,” said Marcus Davis, who owns Kulture, a Southern restaurant in his native Houston, where Black food takes center stage.

For generations, Southerners have boiled and steamed the okra pod, or used it as a nutritious thickener for soups and stews. But it is the fried version that is most beloved. A handful or two of fried okra is often served at restaurants or by home cooks as an appetizer or a side dish. There’s a familiar structure to it: Textured, forest-green pods are typically sliced into small rounds, coated in a seasoned batter and fried to a cook’s liking (deep or pan-fried).

What makes fried okra so special is more than how it’s prepared: It’s how the dish reflects the spirit of the Black American cooks who have preserved its legacy, while creating their own versions and interpretations.

“When I see fried okra, I think about the bigger picture of us as Africans in America,” Davis said. “I think about the trans-Atlantic slave trade. I think about how okra got here, and I think about what the crop means and has meant historically in our nation. I’m hoping that, when people are eating our fried okra, they’re thinking about some of those things, too.”

Some cooks prefer using frozen cut okra, but for Joseph J. Boudreaux III, a partner in Tipping Point Coffee in Houston, fresh okra yields the best flavor and the best texture.

“Okra is one of my favorite vegetables, so the idea of taking it and turning it into this really flavorful side has always been something I’ve appreciated about our culture,” he said.

His fried okra also takes cues from his father, Joseph, an avid gardener originally from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

“The way I see my dad do it, he doesn’t use recipes or anything like that,” the younger Boudreaux said. “It’s always been by feeling. And so that’s essentially what I did when I made my own fried okra recipe.”

He prioritizes a well-seasoned cornmeal batter — and uses fresh okra from his father’s garden nearby.

“I guess I channeled the ancestors a little bit,” he said.

Fried Okra with Rémoulade

Ingredients for the rémoulade:

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, preferably Slap Ya Mama

• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Ingredients for the fried okra:

• 2 quarts canola oil, plus more as needed

• 2 cups/450 grams buttermilk

• 2 tablespoons hot sauce, preferably Louisiana Hot Sauce

• 1 pound fresh okra, stem ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)

• 2 cups/240 grams all-purpose flour

• 1 cup/138 grams fine or medium yellow cornmeal

• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, preferably Slap Ya Mama

• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne

• Sea salt, to taste

Directions:

Make the rémoulade: In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, Cajun seasoning, vinegar and lemon juice. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups rémoulade.) Cover the sauce and chill it in the fridge until you serve.

Prepare the okra: Pour oil into a large pot with high sides and a lid, to a depth of a few inches. Heat oil over medium-high to 350 degrees.

While the oil is heating, combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Place the cut okra into the buttermilk mixture and stir to coat.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning and cayenne.

Working in 4 separate batches, dredge the soaked okra in the cornmeal mixture using your hands. Shake off the excess flour and place the okra onto a wire baking rack. After one to two dredgings of okra, use your hands or a slotted spoon to sift the flour and cornmeal mixture, removing any clumps. Finish coating the remaining okra.

Working in about 4 batches, making sure to not crowd the pot, fry the okra, stirring frequently, until crispy and golden, about 4 minutes. (Take care not to burn it.)

Remove okra using a spider and allow the okra to drain on two plates covered with paper towels. Immediately season okra with sea salt. Serve immediately with the chilled rémoulade.

Total time: 40 minutes, serves 6-8.

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