Wipe okra with a damp towel to clean; pat dry. Trim and discard okra stems; halve okra and sprinkle with salt (and cornmeal, if using). Sear in the very hot pan, cut side down (work in batches so they’re not crowded), until charred on one side, 2-3 minutes; flip and sear the other side until crisp tender, 1 minute more.