{"id":33023,"title":"Sichuan Okra Salad","modified":"2025-06-16T08:34:05+02:00","plain":"A flavorful Sichuan-style Okra Salad to spice up your summer meals\n\n\n\nOkra - or gombo, if I trust the poll we held in the group earlier this week - is a divisive vegetable. \n\n\n\nSome see it as the earthly incarnation of the God of Bad Texture; others, for the very same reason, hail it as the gustatory ideal to which all vegetables should aspire. \n\n\n\nOne thing, however, is clear: on your favorite Asian recipe site we are short on summer recipes and, more broadly, vegetarian dishes. Time to hit two birds with one stone - if that isn't efficiency, I don't know what is. \n\n\n\nZaru soba is a delicious cold Japanese dish\n\n\n\nWhat is Cold Okra Salad?\n\n\n\nThis dish is known in Chinese cuisine as 11413 \/ li\u00e1ngc\u00e0i, or \"cold dish.\" It is roughly the Chinese equivalent of Korean banchan, and it joins my cold peanut-sauce noodles. \n\n\n\nDelicious cold Chinese noodles\n\n\n\nCold dishes are especially welcome during the warmer months because they are light and refreshing. This Cold Okra Salad is a perfect example, pairing okra's crisp yet slightly viscous texture with a bold, aromatic sauce.\n\n\n\nTraditionally, li\u00e1ngc\u00e0i features a wide variety of ingredients, from vegetables to chilled cooked meats and seafood. \n\n\n\nThey are usually seasoned with sauces made from soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and chilies, which add depth and heat.\n\n\n\nKey ingredients in the Spicy Okra Salad\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOkra: The star of the dish, offering a crisp yet slightly viscous bite.\n\n\n\nSesame paste: Also known as tahini, it provides a rich, nutty base for the sauce.\n\n\n\nLight soy sauce: Brings balanced saltiness and depth.\n\n\n\nSesame seeds: Add extra crunch and a toasted aroma to the sauce.\n\n\n\nChili powder: Supplies heat - use Sichuan chilies for authenticity, or swap in Korean gochugaru.\n\n\n\nNeutral oil: Forms the base of the infused oil without overwhelming the other flavors. Opt for a high-smoke-point oil such as sunflower.\n\n\n\nSichuan peppercorns: Provide a unique, slightly citrusy tingle.\n\n\n\nCumin seeds: Contribute an earthy, warm note.\n\n\n\nCoriander seeds: Lend a subtle lemony, herbal touch.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tSichuan-Style Okra Salad\n\t\t\n\t\tA delicious Sichuan-style okra salad to spice up your summer meals\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t280 g okra (fresh)0.5 teaspoon salt15 ml sesame paste23 ml light soy sauce15 g sugar30 ml hot water1 tablespoon sesame seeds (white)1 tablespoon chili powder (preferably Sichuan chilies)Infused Oil90 ml neutral oil (such as sunflower oil)4 green onions (cut into 5 cm pieces)7 cloves garlic (minced)1 star anise1 cinnamon stick1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns1 teaspoon cumin seeds1 teaspoon coriander seeds\t\n\t\n\t\tBring a pot of water to a boilAdd the okra and boil for 2 minutesWhile the okra is boiling, prepare an ice bathUse a strainer or a slotted spoon to transfer the boiled okra to the ice bathLeave the okra in the ice bath while you make the sauceIn a small saucepan, add the infused oil ingredientsCook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the green onions are deeply golden and the garlic lightly brownedMeanwhile, add the sesame seeds, chili flakes and salt to a heatproof bowlWhen the oil is done infusing, pour it into the bowl with the sesame seeds and chili flakes and stir wellAdd the sesame paste, soy sauce, sugar and hot water and mix wellArrange the okra on a serving plate and pour the sauce over the topServe immediately\t\n\t\n\t\tYou can add a tablespoon or a teaspoon of black rice vinegar if you like\n\t\n\t\n\t\tAppetizers, Side dishChinese\t\n\n\n\n\n\nCulinary sources \n\n\n\nI based this recipe on one from the English-language blog The Woks of Life, but I increased the sugar and garlic and added cumin and coriander seeds. \n\n\n\nI also tried replacing one third of the light soy sauce with dark soy. It was tasty, but for my palate it was a bit overpowering. If you have black rice vinegar, though, it is a delicious addition to the sauce.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}