This dish is a great option for people who think okra is too slimy. Fun fact: the sliminess in okra comes from its high concentration of mucilage, which is technically not snot when we’re talking about plants (talk about ringing endorsements). It’s a type of fiber that dissolves in water.

So in other words, when you cook okra in water as you do with gumbo and other stews, you essentially snot-ify it. This can be good for thickening a stew, but if it’s a turn-off for you, frying okra with a tiny amount of oil and a bunch of powder such as in this recipe will dry it out until it becomes a normal vegetable. (Yes, technically, okra is a fruit. Try adding it to a fruit salad and see what your friends think.)

The original recipe by Manjula Jain was introduced to me by my spouse and it’s become one of my favorite Indian dishes to make at home.

The original recipe calls for amchur powder. This is made from mangoes, which I’m allergic to, but since sumac can be used as a substitute, I’ve used it in the ingredients below. It gives a nice bit of tang to the flavor. Lemon or lime juice can also be used as a substitute for amchur powder, so it seems like the amchur is there to give a little acidity. Feel free to use whichever version of acid you want in this recipe.

8 oz. okra
1 1/2 tablespoon oil
1 pinch asafetida
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or Indian chili
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sumac
1 tablespoon gram (besan) flour

Start with clean, dry okra (pat dry if you have to wash it because wet okra will be hard to cut). Cut into half-inch slices, discarding the ends.

Measure out all the spices and sort them into small bowls or piles based on the order in which they go in the pan: cumin and asafetida together, then coriander/cayenne/turmeric, then gram flour, then salt and sumac. This will make it easier to work quickly and save yourself some stress.

Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Toss in one cumin seed to test the heat; if it cracks, it’s hot enough. Add the rest of the cumin and the asafetida. When the rest of the seeds crack, add the okra.

Stir for a minute, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the lid and add the coriander, cayenne, and turmeric.

Stir, then add the gram flour. Continue stirring until the okra is tender and the internal liquids are drying out.

Add the salt and sumac, and stir for another minute or so, until you are satisfied that the okra is cooked and dry.