Oprah-Okra. Okra-Oprah.

I just realized okra, one of my favorite southern vegetables, sounds a lot like Oprah, who sometimes talk with a Southern accent. Anywho, today I’m cooking with okra because I saw this beautiful basket of fresh okra at the farmers market this weekend and had to buy them.

Now you’re probably wondering how a boy from Hawaii developed a taste for okra? My mom used to cook with it, making a beef stir-fry. I remember the gooey, sticky okra looking like slugs, but I just gravitated to the hearty, thick skin. And since then I’ve enjoyed it in the more traditional form as the base of gumbo, one of the more festive comfort food dishes I know.

So below is my quick recipe for okra stir-fry with beef, playing off the traditional pairing my mom used to make. It might take some getting used to the odd gooey nature of okra, but it’s definitely something different for the dinner table. Enjoy!