Grilled grilled dishes with various vegetables will be an ideal choice if you want to refresh your family’s daily menu. Let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to discover 3 simple and delicious ways to make grilled okra at home!
1. Grilled Stuffed Okra with Shrimp
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Grilled Stuffed Okra with Shrimp Serves 2
Okra 200 gr Fresh shrimp 200 gr (finely chopped) Pork paste 200 gr Red onion 3 bulbs (finely chopped) Green onion 4 stalks Chili powder 1 teaspoon Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Calamansi juice 3 tablespoons Minced garlic 1 tablespoon Chopped chili 1 tablespoon Dried shrimp 15 gr (ground) Common seasoning a little (seasoning/ pepper/ sugar)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose good raw pork sausage
- It is best to buy raw pork sausage that is free from impurities, has a light pink color, is smooth and shiny, well-bound, and has good elasticity.
- Good raw pork sausage, when processed, should be chewy and fragrant, not crumbly or have any unpleasant smell.
- Do not buy raw pork sausage that has a strong, unpleasant smell, is slimy, or has unusual colors.
- If you want to ensure food safety, you can make raw pork sausage at home following the recipe from TasteVN.
How to choose fresh shrimp
- Fresh shrimp have a transparent shell and still smell slightly of seawater, not fishy.
- Do not buy shrimp that have dark patches or inconsistent colors.
- If you lift the shrimp and notice it is slimy, has a body that has curled into a circular shape instead of being straight, or if pressing lightly on the shell feels like there are grains inside or the shrimp is slimy, do not buy it.
- Fresh shrimp usually have their tails tightly closed together. If the shrimp’s tail is spread out, it may have been injected with chemicals or water to make it look plump.
See details: How to properly choose fresh shrimp
Tools needed
How to make Grilled Stuffed Okra with Shrimp
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Prepare the ingredients
Fresh shrimp should be washed, remove the shrimp thread, discard the head, peel off the shell, and then chop finely.
Okra should be washed thoroughly, drained, then use a knife to make a longitudinal cut along the okra, gently open the mouth and use a small spoon to scoop out the insides and seeds of the okra.
How to quickly and cleanly remove the shrimp thread
- Method 1: You can use a toothpick to pierce horizontally through the shrimp body at the second vertebra from the tail upwards and then pull the shrimp thread out.
- Method 2: A simpler method is to use a knife/scissors to cut along the shrimp body and then take the thread out, but this way the shrimp will not remain whole.
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Mix the filling
Put finely chopped shrimp into a large bowl along with minced pork sausage and minced shallots, season with 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 chopped leaf. Use a spoon to mix well so that the ingredients and spices blend together.
Use the back of the spoon to vigorously pound the mixture several times to make the filling more crispy and delicious.
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Stuff the okra
After the okra has been cleaned of seeds, washed, and drained, proceed to stuff the shrimp mixture into the okra.
Use a small spoon to take small portions of the shrimp mixture, gently open the okra and insert the shrimp mixture, pressing lightly to fill the shrimp mixture inside the okra.
Neaten the opening of the okra for a clean and tidy appearance, then place it on a plate.
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Grilling okra
First, arrange the okra on a large plate, boil a pot of water, and place a steamer on the stove, add the okra, then cover and steam the okra for about 10 minutes until the okra is slightly cooked and the shrimp paste is firm.
Then, heat the grill over medium heat and place the okra on it, turning the okra continuously to ensure that both the okra and the shrimp filling are cooked evenly without burning.
When you see the outer layer of the okra is slightly charred and the shrimp filling is golden and fragrant, it’s done, take the okra out onto a plate.
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Making scallion oil
Wash 3 stalks of green onions, drain the water, then chop them finely and put them in a bowl, add a little salt and mix well.
Place a pan on high heat, heat the pan with 4 tablespoons of cooking oil. Heat the oil until it’s very hot and slightly bubbling, then pour the hot oil directly into the bowl of scallion oil, mixing well to cook the onions lightly.
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Making dipping sauce
Place a pot on high heat, add 50g of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and 3 tablespoons of calamansi juice into the pot, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves completely.
Bring the mixture to a boil for 2 minutes, once the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly, turn off the heat and pour the mixture into a large bowl.
Add into the bowl 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of minced chili, and 15g of crushed dried shrimp, mixing well to combine all the ingredients.
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Final Product
So with just a few simple steps, the dish of grilled shrimp stuffed okra is completed beautifully and attractively. The grilled okra is arranged on a plate, topped with a shiny layer of scallion oil and a sweet and sour sauce that tantalizes the taste buds.
The okra is fully stuffed with firm shrimp paste, grilled to a nice char, cooked just right, both delicious and retains its crispness. The shrimp filling has a natural sweetness along with a slight crunchiness from the well-prepared fish paste, making it incredibly appealing. This dish is extremely suitable to be served with a bit of shredded green mango!
This will definitely be a unique and attractive dish, bringing a fresh change to your family’s menu.
2. Grilled Vegetarian Crab Stick Stuffed Okra
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Grilled Okra Stuffed with Vegetarian Crab Sticks Serves 2 people
Vegetarian crab sticks 13 pieces Okra 13 pods Green onions 2 stalks (chopped) Vegetarian fish sauce 1.5 tablespoons Sugar 1 tablespoon Vegetarian seasoning 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 3 tablespoons
Where to buy vegetarian crab sticks
- You can find vegetarian crab sticks at convenience stores, supermarkets, specialized stores that supply and distribute vegetarian products, or order through reputable e-commerce websites.
- For this dish, you can replace crab sticks with various types of vegetarian sausages, tofu, or enoki mushrooms, kimchi mushrooms,… depending on your preference; they’re all very delicious!
Tools needed
Grill rack, pan, knife, chopping board, spoon,…
How to Make Grilled Okra Stuffed with Vegetarian Crab Stick
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Preparing Ingredients
After purchasing the vegetarian crab sticks, wash them and boil in hot water with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning for 5 minutes until the crab sticks are cooked and soft.
Wash the okra, cut off the stem end, then use the back of a teaspoon to poke into the top of the okra, twisting to remove the insides completely.
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Stuffing the Okra
After hollowing out the okra, wash and drain it. For each okra pod, stuff in one crab stick, trim if the crab stick is too large.
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Grilling okra
You place the grill over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, you put the okra on the grill, turning it evenly on all sides to ensure the okra is cooked without burning.
Grill the okra for about 2 – 3 minutes, until the okra is soft and the skin color darkens slightly, indicating it’s cooked. Grill for an additional 1 – 2 minutes until the outer skin of the okra is golden and slightly charred, releasing a fragrant aroma. Turn off the heat and remove the okra to a plate.
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Making scallion oil
Place a pan on the stove with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, when the oil is hot, add finely chopped scallions and fry until fragrant. When the scallions turn golden and release a nice aroma, add 1.5 tablespoons of vegetarian fish sauce and 1/2 tablespoon of water to the pan.
Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning to the sauce, stirring well until the seasonings dissolve completely. When the mixture boils vigorously, taste and adjust the sauce to your liking, then add the remaining finely chopped scallions and immediately turn off the heat, stirring well so that the scallions are just cooked, green, and fragrant.
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Final product
The grilled stuffed okra plate smells wonderful and looks very appealing. The okra is grilled just right, crunchy and crispy. Inside, the okra is filled with firm and fragrant vegetarian crab sticks.
The dish is dipped in a rich, thick sauce that is both salty and sweet, incredibly stimulating to the taste buds. This is a simple dish, with easily found ingredients and easy to prepare, which will add a new level of appeal to the family meal.
3. Grilled okra with salt using an air fryer
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Grilled okra with salt using an air fryer Serves 2 people
Okra 1 kg Olive oil 1 tablespoon Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon Lemon pepper 1 teaspoon (lemon pepper)
Information about Kosher salt
- There are many types of table salt: coarse salt, refined salt, iodized salt. Kosher salt is a type of less refined salt with a flaky, large crystal structure, typically hollow pyramid-shaped, and the salt flakes are usually larger and do not compact together.
- Kosher salt typically has a coarse, large, and non-fine texture, with a moderate saltiness.
- Kosher salt is often used in the marinating process and seasoning dishes as it helps retain good moisture inside the meat, making it softer and more flavorful.
Tools needed
How to make Grilled Okra with Salt using an Air Fryer
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Prepare the okra
After buying the okra, wash it thoroughly in a basin of water to remove dirt. Take the okra out and shake off the water, then use a paper towel to dry the okra.
After drying, cut off the top stem of the okra, and slice it in half lengthwise for small okra; for larger okra, cut into quarters.
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Marinate the okra
After preparing the okra, place it in a large bowl, mix thoroughly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat the okra evenly with the oil. Then, sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt over the okra and mix well.
Add 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper (lemon pepper salt) to the okra, mixing well to ensure the salt coats the okra evenly.
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Roast the okra
Preheat the air fryer to 425°F (about 220°C) for about 5 minutes.
Once the fryer is hot, add the marinated okra with oil and salt, spreading it out evenly, and roast the okra for 8 minutes.
After 8 minutes, open the lid, use chopsticks to stir and check if the okra is cooked, crispy, and slightly charred on the edges, then transfer to a paper towel to absorb excess oil and enjoy!
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Final Product
The okra is grilled crisp, with charred edges, extremely fragrant and flavorful with a bit of saltiness from the kosher salt and a light sourness from the yellow lemon salt. This is a simple dish that is easy to make but ideal for gatherings with friends or weekends spent with family!
How to choose fresh and delicious okra
- Choose fresh, young okra pods that are small in size, have a beautiful shiny green color, and a thin layer of fine hairs on the outer skin.
- Do not choose pods that are soft or have bruises on the outside, as well as those that are too large, which will be mature okra that does not taste good.
- Gently press with your hand; if the skin feels crisp, hard, and not soft or dented, it is fresh, young okra.
See more
Above is an article guiding 3 ways to make grilled okra that are fragrant and delicious, a change of flavor for the family, which is extremely simple and easy to implement that anyone can do. Wishing you success with this recipe!
*Images and recipes referenced from the YouTube channel Cooky TV, Bà Mẹ Quê and sweetsavant.
