Generally in season from summer to early fall, if you're fortunate enough to pick up or grow some fresh ... cut too far down and expose the seeds. At this point, you can either blanch the okra ...

You will knock off the batter, disturb the edges and basically mess everything up. Leave it all alone ... Wash, dry and trim upper tops of okra pads, then cut crosswise into 1/2” pieces.

But to switch things up ... fresh okra. And before you put that okra in your cart, give it a squeeze. It should feel firm and springy. If it's too soft or mushy, it's probably past its prime. Cut ...

If possible, choose smaller okra pods, because the older ones are tougher and need longer to cook. This is a fast and easy dish to prepare. It takes less than 10 minutes to cut up the ingredients ...

This recipe makes more sambal than you will need for one dish of okra, but it can be stored in the fridge for several weeks, and used to spice up other stir-fried vegetables. It's also delicious ...