This is a great way to have fried okra without all the oil. This makes a thin crispy, cornmeal cake. Your family won’t be able to get enough of these!  

• 1 tablespoon canola oil or cooking spray 
• 1½ cups all-purpose cornmeal
•   ½ cup medium or coarse ground cornmeal 
•   1½-2 cups unsweetened almond or rice milk 
•   1 teaspoon Deb’s Seasoning (page 269)
•   ½ teaspoon salt
•   ¼ teaspoon pepper
•   1 cup okra, thinly sliced into rounds. Okra needs to be sliced thin so it will cook quickly.
•   ½ teaspoon sea salt   

  Variation:

  Other seasonings can be added: finely minced jalapeños, pepper sauce, and finely chopped onion. Be creative.

Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C) to warm okra cakes. Heat non-stick griddle to medium-high heat. Mix together regular and coarse cornmeal, milk, seasoning, salt and pepper. Let batter sit for a few minutes. The batter should not be too thick, so add more milk or water if needed. Stir in okra. Reduce heat to medium and add a little oil or cooking spray to griddle. Using a tablespoon, spoon batter onto griddle. Do not flip until batter begins to form bubbles and you feel that they are golden brown. Flip to other side. When cakes are golden brown on both sides, remove and place on a sheet pan. Place in warm oven, until you have finished cooking all of the batter. Sprinkle with sea salt.  

  Hint:

  When buying okra look for small pods 2-3 inches long; they are more tender than the large ones. Avoid dull, dry or wilted looking pods; they should snap when broken in half.