Initially when I moved back to CA from NJ, I stayed with my god family, and the wife would occasionally fix it with chicken-fried steak for the hubby, who's originally from Okrahoma. I grew to appreciate it, but I do believe that food like this contributed much to my weight gain; my physical activity level wasn't enough to compensate and my metabolism certainly wasn't used to a lot of heavily fried foods. If offered, I'll eat it now though. Usually, before, I'd politely pass.

Also, there is well-fried okra and then there is poorly fried okra ...can't stand it if it's overly gooey.