How to Pan-Fry Zucchini, Green Tomatoes, Okra, and Cabbage

Instead of using the often-prescribed thick batters when frying certain vegetables, powder them with light layers of select flour or flour-mixes before frying them in shallow levels of oil or grease. This method will cut down on the amount of oil or fat absorbed in them, which enhances the flavors of the veggies. Here are our own recipes for frying three fresh vegetables to retain their healthy country-cooked flavor and one reference to fried cabbage.

Simple Pan-Fried Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 2-4 medium-sized Zucchini squashes
• all-purpose flour
• grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese, or a mixture of such
• salt and pepper
• high-grade vegetable cooking oil
• salad dressing or cheese dip of choice, if desired

Directions:

Wash and dry the squash

Cut off the rough ends, but do not peel

Slice into 1/4″-thick rounds; add salt and pepper lightly to taste

Warm a shallow layer (1/16″ or less) of oil in wide frying pan at medium-high heat

Powder both sides of the slices with the flour in a bowl or bag

Fry each side in the oil until golden brown, about 2-minutes each

Transfer the slices to a paper-towel-lined plate

Sprinkle them with the grated cheese to taste

Serve warm; two to four adults

Simple Pan-Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 4-6 medium-sized green tomatoes
• all-purpose flour
• grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese, or a mixture of such
• salt and pepper
• high-grade vegetable cooking oil
• salad dressing or cheese dip of choice, if desired

Directions:

Wash and dry the tomatoes

Remove the stem area, if any

Slice into 1/4″-to-1/2″-thick rounds; add salt and pepper lightly to taste

Warm shallow layer (1/16″ or less) of oil in wide frying pan at medium-high heat

Powder both sides of the slices with flour in a bowl or bag

Fry one side in oil until golden brown, about 3-minutes

Flip and do the other side until golden brown or done

Transfer the cooked slices to a paper-towel-lined plate

Sprinkle them with the grated cheese to taste

Serve warm; two to four adults.

Simple Pan-Fried Okra

Ingredients:

• 1-to-3-lb fresh of fresh tender okra
• 1-cup all-purpose flour
• 1-cup yellow cornmeal
• salt & pepper
• high-grade vegetable cooking oil

Directions:

Cut the stem end from each okra

Slice the okra transversely into rounds 1/8″-to-1/4″ thick

Add salt & pepper lightly to taste

Powder-down well in 1:1 mixture of flour and cornmeal in a bowl or bag

Fry in thin layer of oil with frequent turning until browned and done at medium-high heat

Serve on paper-towel-lined plate. (This dish goes well with fresh sliced or wedged tomatoes.)

Summary.

Certain food buffs prefer the heavily battered fried vegetables because the vegetables themselves are protected by their coatings. That is, the veggies remain untouched by the hot oil or grease during the frying.

However, these fried vegetables are grease blobs. Much of their actual flavor comes from the highly greased batters instead of from the inner vegetables in question. From the recipes above, one can enjoy the true flavors of fresh pan-fried veggies. For a non-battered fried cabbage recipe, see the following website.

Southern Fried Cabbage – http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Southern-Fried-Cabbage-with-Bacon-Mushrooms-and-Onions/Detail.aspx?prop24=RD_RelatedRecipes

The Author:

J. Delms – I’m a college graduate plus courses in photography, computer, leadership, teamwork, and writing. I enjoy bicycling, photography, learning, gardening, nature, day-trips, eating healthy, self-improvement, writing, and quality time with my spouse and friends. Currently, I blog and freelance on the Internet.

Photo. Hyun Chun Kim

Source: EA