Some people either love or hate okra, but maybe you haven’t even tried it! Oh this is exciting. If you love it already, then this recipe is definitely for you and if you’ve not liked it in the past I encourage you to give it another shot, that ultra slimy feel and taste that cause most people to shy away from okra is not present here. Just simply delicious flavor and a decent crunch factor.

 

Okra of course reminds me of my Southern roots. It’s gotten it’s popularity in America as a fried food mostly or a vegetable addition to soups, stews and gumbos. Hailing from Africa, these pods were prevalent in the Southern states.

I love them because they are so versatile. They’re great fried up with onions, added to my morning soups, chopped in a fresh salad, or like here, roasted with plantains!

By roasting both the plantains and the okra together it creates this amazing juxtaposition in texture and flavor between the crunchy nutty okra and the soft sweet plantain.

The okra is a great pairing with the plantains too on a cellular level because they are full of fiber, their tiny seeds are pretty indigestible, so if you a lot you’ll know what I mean 😉

Topping this dish off with a savory rich avocado cremá and a heavy hand on the cilantro is the perfect way to bring it all together. Or a margarita, that would certainly do the trick too, virgin or not!

Ingredients

Two ripe plantains (yellow/black)
2 cups okra (halved)
1 avocado
1/2 tablespoons coconut oil

     –  Avocado Cremá

1 avocado
2 cloves garlic
1 lime
1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon oil (olive or hemp)
1/2 cup water

Sea salt
Cilantro for garnish

Process

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven 350° degrees.

2 Cut two ripe plantains into halves and then in halves again. Wash and cut the okra in halves also removing the stems on top.

3. Take coconut oil cover and cover plantains and okra liberally. Place on the lined baking sheet and put in the oven. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip the plantains turning them over to reveal browning on the opposite side. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

4. While the plantains and okra are cooking place the ingredients for the cremá in a blender. Blend on high until completely emulsified and creamy.

5. Serve and garnish with fresh cilantro, cremá and sea salt.

 

ENJOY!

 

Kari