Sohla's Okra Pakora with Chaat Masala Yogurt Ranch

Excerpted with permission from Hot Dish with Sohla by Sohla El-Waylly.

Ham recently went on a trip to New Orleans and returned with a stack of vintage cookbooks and a restored vintage 8-inch Griswold cast iron skillet—the perfect size for frying for two. My mom always had a small skillet of oil chilling on her back burner for everyday frying. She didn't need a special occasion or even a weekend to heat it up. Fried foods are common throughout South Asia, from snacks like samosas, breads like bhatura, and even desserts like jalebi (baby!). I want to embrace my culture by frying more (because I just can't get into Bollywood).

Ingredients

FOR THE OKRA PAKORA

1 pint fresh okra (about 185 grams)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more
½ teaspoon Pragati Turmeric, divided
½ teaspoon Byadgi Chilli, divided
½ cup chickpea flour
¼ cup stone ground rice flour
½ cup water
fat for frying (see above for options)
Chaat Masala yogurt ranch to serve

FOR THE CHAAT MASALA YOGURT RANCH

¼ cup whole milk yogurt
¼ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh dill tender leaves & stems, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Chaat Masala
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon Pahadi Pink Garlic
kosher salt, to taste

Methods

FOR THE OKRA PAKORAS

Set a wire rack into a sheet tray and line with paper towels.
Wash and dry the okra, then cut in half (or if very large, into quarters) lengthwise. In a medium bowl, toss the okra with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili; set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the pakora batter: whisk together the chickpea flour, rice flour, and the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and ¼ teaspoon. Add the water and whisk until the mixture comes together into a thick and smooth batter.
In a small or medium skillet with high sides, add enough fat to fill the skillet a 1-inch high layer. Heat on medium-high until between 350F to 375F (177C to 191C). Adjust the temperature throughout frying to stay within this range.
Add the okra to the batter and use your hands to roughly coat the okra with the batter (it will be very sticky). Use your hands to add one piece of coated okra to the oil at a time. Fry about 6 to 8 pieces of okra at a time until deeply browned and crisp.
Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the okra to the prepared sheet tray to drain. Season with kosher salt. Repeat with remaining okra. Serve hot with chaat masala yogurt ranch for dipping.

FOR THE CHAAT MASALA YOGURT RANCH

In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, buttermilk, and mayonnaise until smooth.
Add dill, chives, lemon juice, chaat masala, sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder, whisking until evenly combined. Taste and add salt as needed.