Ingredients
- 1 pound (453 g) small tender okra
- A few fresh chili peppers (optional)
- 2 tablespoons any form of dill (fresh or dried leaf or seeds, or a flowering head)
- 1–2 heads garlic
- 1 pinch whole black peppercorns
- 1½ tablespoons sea salt
How to Make It
- Trim away any damaged or bruised spots on the pods. Clean the vessel, then place the seasonings at the bottom. Pack the whole pods into the vessel tightly to ensure they will remain submerged under the brine. Feel free to incorporate green beans, small pickling cucumbers, sweet peppers, green tomatoes, or other summer vegetables as desired.
- Dissolve the sea salt in 2 cups (500 ml) dechlorinated water to create a brine solution. Stir until the salt is thoroughly dissolved. Add the brine to the vessel. If the brine doesn’t cover the vegetables, add more brine mixed at the same ratio of ¾ tablespoon salt to 1 cup (250 ml) water. If the okra are floating at the surface, an easy solution is to cut the top of a plastic food container a little bigger than the mouth of the jar, squeeze it through the mouth of the jar, and position it so that it holds the okra submerged. If you’re using a crock, use a plate to weigh down the okra and cover it with a cloth to keep out dust and flies. With a jar, use the lid to seal loosely.
- Leave the okra to ferment 3 or 4 days, then taste every day or two. Sourness will develop over time; how fast depends primarily upon temperature. If any white surface scum appears, skim it off, but don’t worry if you can’t get it all. Enjoy the okra as they continue to ferment. Continue to check them regularly. If they start to soften, or if you don’t want them to become any sourer, move them to the fridge.
