Steamed Okra and Corn Salad

After last week’s Tastes Like Home column, I received several emails asking for the recipe for the steamed okra and tomato salad with the soy sauce-lime dressing. The dressing for that salad and this one is the same and I also use this dressing when serving steamed okra by itself as a salad.

These salads are simple so always use the freshest of ingredients. Therefore, for this recipe, do not use canned corn, get fresh corn, shuck it, remove the kernels and then steam them. To keep the okra bright green, once it is steamed (not boiled), remove the steam rack from the pot and let the okra cool or simply remove the okra from the hot pot and spread them out on a wire rack to cool.

To steam okra – Add 1½ cups of water to a saucepot and insert a metal steamer. Cover pot and let water come to a boil. Only when the water comes to a boil then add okra to steamer, cover, and steam-cook for 4 minutes. The okra should be cooked through but not mushy soft. A knife inserted should have very light resistance. The okra will finish cooking at it cools.

INGREDIENTS

For salad:

• 1 pound okra, steamed
• 2 cups fresh corn, steamed

For dressing:

• 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime/lemon juice
• 3 drops sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon sugar

DIRECTIONS

For salad:

1. Remove the top and bottom tips of okra and slice halfway, lengthwise and add to a bowl.
2. Add corn to bowl and toss gently to mix with okra.

For dressing:

1. Whisk together all the ingredients, taste and adjust to suit your taste by adding more soy, citrus juice, or pepper sauce.

To serve:

2. Add portions of okra and corn to salad plates and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

NOTE

• If using tomatoes instead of corn for the salad – get firm, ripe tomatoes, wash and pat dry, cut, remove seeds, and cut further to small dice.