Name: Crispy okra
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients: 2 Maggi cubes (available in world food shops or online); 1 tsp dried chilli flakes; 30g golden granulated sugar; 2 tsp suya spice mixture (available in world food shops or online); 200g mayonnaise; 50g onions (about ½), finely chopped; 2 tbsp ponzu soy sauce; a pinch aleppo pepper flakes; vegetable oil, for deep frying; 150g semolina; 100ml whole milk; 200g okra, cut in half lengthways

A blue and white pattered plate with deep fried strips of okra and a small pot of creamy dip on a wooden table

OKRA SPICE MIXTURE

2 Maggi cubes
(available in world food shops or online)
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
30g golden granulated sugar
2 tsp suya spice mixture
(available in world food shops or online)

YUZU PONZU DIP

200g mayonnaise
50g onions
(about ½), finely chopped
2 tbsp ponzu soy sauce
a pinch aleppo pepper flakes

CRISPY OKRA

vegetable oil
for deep frying
150g semolina
100ml whole milk
200g okra
cut in half lengthways

Method

step 1
To make the spice mixture, blitz together all the ingredients using a blender or spice grinder, then set aside.
step 2
To make the yuzu ponzu dip, whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to serve.
step 3
Fill a pan no more than a third full with vegetable oil and heat to 170C or until a cube of bread browns in 40 seconds.
step 4
Put the semolina and milk in two separate, shallow bowls. Dip the okra, first in the milk, and then quickly into the semolina.
step 5
Fry the okra in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain each batch on kitchen paper while you fry the rest, then toss the fried okra in the spice mixture.
step 6
Garnish the okra with more of the spice mixture and serve with a side of the dip.