Chinese Okra Salad
This Chinese okra salad has fresh and crunchy okra covered in a simple yet flavorful sauce. In under 15 minutes, you can make this easy okra dish with a sour, spicy, and garlicky sauce.
Okra, also known as lady’s fingers, is a long slender vegetable part of the mallow family. It has many nutrients, antioxidants, and more. This ingredient is commonly used in Southern and Japanese cuisine. Okra is known for its slimy texture when cooked. With this quick okra recipe, this unique vegetable can create a wonderful (and healthy!) dish.
The preparation is similar to a Japanese okra salad recipe because it consists of blanched okra covered in a soy sauce-based sauce. The difference is in the sauce. The sauce for this Asian okra recipe is similar to Chinese cold mixed dishes, 涼拌 (liang ban).
How to Make Chinese Okra Salad
Prepare the okra.
First, prepare the okra by scrubbing off the fuzzy exterior. Also, cut off the tough outer rim on the top part and cut off the stem. Removing the fuzzy exterior is optional if you are using young okra.
Blanch the okra in a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Shock the cooked okra in cold tap water and drain.
Season the Okra
Arrange the cooked ones on a plate and pour the sauce over the okra.
Add the chili and garlic on top. Heat the oil just until it begins to smoke. Pour the hot oil over the garlic and chili to release their aromas. The garlic and chili should audibly sizzle.
Notes
- This recipe uses regular okra, not Chinese okra. Chinese okra is larger and has properties that are very different from regular okra.
- The blanching time should be enough for the okra to just cook through.
- Immediately dunk the blanched okra in cold tap water to prevent them from overcooking and turning soft. This technique allows the okra to be tender but crunchy and fresh. You can also use this technique in my Korean mung bean sprout salad.
- Make sure to heat the oil until it is hot so that the aroma of the garlic and chili is released.
- The okra will be slimy, but that is the nature of the vegetable. The sliminess can also help the sauce to cling to the okra.
If you are a fan of cold dishes, check out my cold tofu salad with tomato and avocado!
Chinese Okra Salad
Ingredients
- 250 g okra 1/2 lb
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 0.5 tbsp vinegar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the okra by scrubbing off the fuzzy exterior. Cut of the hard top edges and top stems off.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the okra to the pot and blanch it for 1-2 minutes. Shock the okra in tap water until cool.
- Stack the okra on a large plate. Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over the okra.
- Place the minced garlic and chili flakes on top of the okra.
- Heat up the oil in a saucepan just until it begins to smoke. Pour the hot oil directly over the garlic and chili flakes to release their flavors.
