Sauteed Okra with Imitation Crab Meat

In cooking, you need to be creative and adventurous in your kitchen. You must learn how to use whatever ingredients are available in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry or cupboard. This way, you're not only saving a trip to go to the grocery, you are also saving time and money for not wasting any food.

In my refrigerator, I found a package of okra, and in the freezer was a package of imitation crab meat from the seafood mix that I used when I cooked Palabok. I removed it from the seafood mix, because I don't want it in the Palabok. From the freezer, there also was a package of shrimp shells. Whenever I had to remove the shrimp shells, instead of discarding them I always saved them and placed them in the freezer for future use like shrimp broth. To make the broth, simply put the shells in a small pot and add 1-2 cups of water, then bring it to a boil. After boiling, strain. Now you have a shrimp broth. This simple dish also includes butter, garlic, onion, ground pepper and fish sauce.

Sauteed Okra with Imitation Crab Meat

Ingredients:

1-2 lb. Okra (washed, cleaned and cut in half diagonally)
1 cup - Imitation Crab Meat (cubed)
5 cloves - Garlic (minced)
1 medium - Onion (sliced thinly)
1 tsp. - Ground Black Pepper 
2 tbsp - Fish Sauce or to taste
2 tbsp. - Butter (for sauteing)
1 cup - Shrimp Broth

Let's Cook!

1. In a medium pan, heat butter until it is foaming.
2. Saute garlic and onion.
3. Add imitation crab meat, stir and cook for 3 minutes. 
4. Add okra followed by shrimp broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Season with fish sauce and black ground pepper to taste.
6. Simmer for another 3 minutes or until okra is done.
7. Dish out with steamed rice and enjoy!