Okra without the ooze

It seemed impossible that okra could ever lose its distinction as the least popular of all vegetables, given the bulbous pod's slimy reputation. Beyond deep-frying (technically cheating) and gumbo (more for thickening), oozy okra has long flummoxed even hard-core herbiphile chefs.

Then, out of the blue, we discovered the ultimate okra recipe. Hidden on Asian menus under the evocative name "lady's fingers," the dish solves okra's mucous woes by slicing the pods to expose maximum surface area. Stir-fried with dried chilies, garlic, and dried shrimp, the lady's fingers surrender their offending slime to the high heat, gently moistening the dry, loose-strewn ingredients into a cohesive sauce. The residual sugars caramelize into browned swaths of deliciousness.

Somewhere, in a lonely produce drawer, a Brussels sprout is trembling in fear at the thought of slipping into okra's last-place slot.

Though we could count on one hand the local lady's-finger offerings, the best came from Aneka Rasa in Allston and Chinatown's Gourmet Dumpling House. Aneka Rasa's Malaysian spin spiced things up with pungent shrimp-paste sauce. Gourmet went Taiwanese with a looser but similarly flavored sa-cha sauce. Aneka Rasa tossed in a handful of shrimp. Gourmet showcased flexibility by offering three varieties of the dish: lady's-only, shrimp, or sliced beef (our favorite).

As in many games, it all came down to prep. Aneka Rasa sliced the pods on the bias, exposing plenty of interior. But not as much as Gourmet's lengthwise slice, which exuded every ounce of ooze for the win.

Advantage, Gourmet Dumpling House.

TRY IT TONIGHT

Sliced beef with lady's fingers, $9.50

Gourmet Dumpling House, 52 Beach St., Boston. 617-338-6262.

JUST TRY IT, ALREADY

Shrimp with lady's fingers, $8.95

Aneka Rasa, 122 Harvard Ave., Allston. 617-562-8989. anekarasaboston.com