I usually use sliced frozen okra, hold it under running water for a minute or so to partially thaw it. Pop it into a gallon size freezer bag(which is reused just for this purpose), add straight cornmeal, shake to coat well, and lift out to put in a skillet with about 1/4 inch very hot oil. It takes about 40 minutes to fry 2 lbs. Stir frequently. Older varieties of okra are slimy, newer ones are not. I like the older ones better, they hold the cornmeal better but they aren't available in the grocery store. This type of okra is a southern vegetable for a meal. the prebreaded type fried in a deep fryer is not the the original southern receipe and was invented for the cafes where everything is frequently cooked in a deep fat fryer.