Air Fried Okra – Hydro Grown

Okra has to be one of the easiest vegetable plants I have ever grown. Usually I’m at war with the insects, protecting my crops from them day and night, however, not one species of insect seemed to take interest in my beloved okra plants. I started them from seed and grew them for about 3 weeks indoors with my Solaris Garden hydroponic system, then transferred them into the ground where they could grow to their max potential. At about 3 feet tall and 10 weeks old they started to bare delicious fruit! 

Below are the ingredients I used and the air fryer temperature and time I followed to create this elegant okra side dish. Feel more than welcome to switch out any ingredients to your liking, as the main point is that you air fry okra and plate it up beautifully. 

Ingredients:

4-6 Okra pods (This depends on how many people you are serving. Also take note that the best time to harvest okra is when the seed pods are 2- 4 inches long. Once the seed pods start to get larger than 4 inches they become less tender.)

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese (I got my hands on a black truffle Parmesan from Costco.)

3 tablespoons or so of your favorite Olive Oil

Gallon size zip-lock bag

4-6 large fresh lettuce leaves of your liking

4-6 sprigs of your favorite herb (I used dill to create a unique flavor profile)

1 handful of  edible flowers (I used purple basil flowers, this is only if you want to be fancy and add some color)

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare:

1. Rinse and slice the okra pods long ways right down the middle, creating canoe shapes. 

2. Place the okra pods into the large zip-lock bag and add in the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and a dash of salt and pepper. Give the bag a good shake to make sure the okra pods become evenly coated with the other ingredients. 

3. Take your seasoned okra pods out of the bag and place them in one even layer in your air fryer basket or rack. Set your air fryer to 380 degrees and let them cook for 4 minutes. 

4. While your okra pods are cooking begin to plate a beautiful scene by placing the large lettuce leaves of your choice down (spine down so they cup upwards), a sprig of herbs on each leaf, and sprinkle with a couple edible flowers. 

5. Once your okra pods are done in the air fryer, place a single okra pod on each leaf display you laid out. 

6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

There is something so special about creating a dish that came completely from your garden. Growing veggies, herbs, and many other edible plants is rewarding and at the very least, inspires us to create healthy recipes that we enjoy eating! 

This recipe was created by Soleil Aneiro. 

Thank you!