Stir-fried okra

I picked up some okra at the Horton Market on the weekend. I've never tried okra before so I was curious. I found a stir-fried okra recipe on about.com and decided to give it a try.

Here is the original recipe:

2 cups fresh okra, washed, trimmed, thinly sliced

1 large tomato, peeled and sliced into 8 thin wedges

1/4 cup green onions, sliced, white and green

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon leaf thyme, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

dash pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

Prepare all vegetables as indicated and have ready for cooking. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Heat oil and butter in a wok or large skillet. Add vegetables and seasoning mixture all at once. Toss and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Serves 4

Now here is what I did:

I prepared the okra as directed. I didn't peel the tomato. I used diced red onion. I have all kinds of herbs and spices but couldn't find thyme anywhere. I have a funny feeling if I go back and look now it will be in the front row of my spice shelf . . . LOL . . . I added a handful of shitake mushrooms and a sliced red pepper to the pan as well. The shitake mushrooms were an excellent idea. The red pepper ended up on the side of the plate because they made the dish too sweet. I served the stir fry with low-sodium soy sauce and rice noodles and really enjoyed it (minus the peppers).

I will definitely make this recipe again.