Okro Soup is a hot favourite among Nigerian food lovers. Some people just love the soup, and the name ‘Okro Soup’ sounds appealing to anyone. Okro (okra) is native in the tropical Africa region, where it is grown extensively.

It is easy to make. In fact, it probably doesn’t take long to prepare than seeking the nearest fast-food joint. This simple soup will fill your belly and keep it warm for a long time. I’m sure that all foodies need to learn how to make Okro Soup.

It is one of the simplest and quickest Nigerian soups to make. Some believe that the cutting of the two vegetables used in this recipe takes a significant amount of time. Yes, but once the vegetables are ready, it cooks quickly.

Okro soup Ingredients

A pack of grainfield food’s okro

3 frying spoons red palm oil

Beef: The best cut

Shaki (Cow Tripe) (Optional)

Iced fish (mackerel/Titus), dry fish, and stockfish

1 crayfish handful

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Onions are vegetables (optional)

Nigerian pumpkin leaves or spinach as a vegetable (fresh or frozen)

3 cubes of stock/boullion

Preparation

Before you begin making Okra Soup,

1. Boil the stockfish for 20 minutes and put it in the saucepan with hot water to soak around two hours before cooking the soup. I buy a type of stockfish from grainfield foods that don’t require as much soaking.

2. Tear the okra fingers into small pieces. The smaller the okra is chopped, the more it will attract. To do so, make a few vertical slashes followed by horizontal slices on the okra fingers.

3. Grind the crayfish and the dry pepper together.

4. If you’re using pumpkin leaves, wash them and cut them into little pieces. If you’re using frozen spinach, thaw it first and cut it into little pieces.

Cooking Method

1. If you’re going to use shaki (cow tripe) in the soup, wash it and cook it until it’s tender. Because this soup needs to be thick, use only a small amount of water. To the cooked shaki, add the soaked stockfish and dry fish. The time it takes to make shaki is determined by the cooking appliance used. You can confirm this by taking a bite.

2. When the shaki and stockfish are done, add the meat, onions, and stock cubes and cook until done. Then add the diced fish and continue to cook until done.

3. Pour red palm oil into a separate pot and heat it to dissolve any congealed oil. Add the diced okra and begin frying to kick-start the drawing process; add some beef stock as needed until the okra begins to draw. To avoid overcooking the okra, this process should take no more than 5 minutes.

4. Now, add the veggie and thoroughly mix it in. Add all of the meat and fish, as well as the crayfish, pepper, and salt to taste. Then thoroughly mix everything together.

5. Cover the pot and leave it to simmer until ready to serve.

Shaki, Meat, Dry Fish, Iced Fish (Mackerel/Titus), and Stock Fish should not be used in the same recipe for okra soup. If you can, use all of them because they will enhance the flavour. If not, an okra soup made with solely iced fish ((Mackerel/Titus)) can be just as tasty. So don’t go out and spend a fortune on a pot of soup!

Onions are optional since while some people dislike the smell/taste of onions in okra soup, others enjoy it “Okra soup with no onions? Not at all!”

So feel free to add and delete ingredients, but the bare minimum for an okra soup is:

The vegetable okra (of course)

Beef with Palm Oil, Iced or Dry Fish

Crayfish

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Vegetable \Seasoning

Pumpkin leaves are ideal for okra soup, but if you live outside of Nigeria, you can use spinach. However, make certain that it is then washed and frozen one (see photo). In terms of the Okra Soup recipe, this works better than fresh and leafy spinach.

Serving Suggestions

Some people think that okro soup is best eaten with fufu, which is a type of dough made from cassava or yams. Others prefer to eat it with pounded yam. It can also be served with garri (a type of fried cassava) or boiled cassava.

Sometimes okro soup is served over rice or rice balls. Some people mix rice and garri together and then pour the soup over them.

Okro soup is also sometimes eaten with gari soakings, which are made from dry chunks of gari that have been soaked in water overnight and then strained in the morning to make porridge.

okro soup is a delicacy in the West African region. It’s eaten with fufu and banku, asuu or any variety of rice as a side dish in Ghana. The recipe for this soup is simple, inexpensive and quick to prepare. Okro soup is tasty, potent and nutritious. Okro soup can be made using different combinations of ingredients and seasonings, depending on taste and availability, making it a perfect accompaniment.