We love Okra! But sometimes it is very difficult to find fresh. It’s not a “typical” northern vegetable. Down South, it was extremely easy to locate as it is almost considered a staple in many homes. We have stuffed them, fried them and dipped them into delicious sauces, but prepared this way they make a nice topping for rice in an Indian inspired menu.  We actually found these at a very large Indian grocer in Queens, NY called Patel Brothers. What a great store! They have an amazing spice collection and many types of flours and Indian sauces. You can even buy hard to find items online.  We were on the hunt for garam masala when we spotted some large okras and we bought some.

Another vegetable side dish with an Indian flare,  that’s also delicious over a Jasmine or Basmati rice, is Spiced Zucchini. While the Okra recipe  has more of a mild spice, if you like it hot, then try the Zucchini recipe. Feel free to interchange the vegetables to each dish as you like and for a slightly(!!!) more mild Zucchini, leave out the red chile flakes.