Okro Soup is a traditional Nigerian recipe for a classic stew of assorted meats and seafood in a spicy okra and red oil base with locust beans (iru). The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Nigerian version of: Okro Soup.
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Though most famous as a Yoruba dish (also known as Ila Alasepa) it is also prepared by other ethnic groups, too. My wife, who is Igbo also loves okro soup. Traditionally it’s made with kaun (edible potash) and includes various meats such as: Shaki, Ponmo, Cowfoot, Beef, Goat meat and offal. Greens such as Pumpkin leaves (Ugu), Spinach, Uziza (Piper guineense) leaves Or African basil leaves (you could substitute holy basil). My wife, occasionally also adds bitterleaf. What always seems to be in there is stockfish, dried and smoked fish and crayfish (dried and smoked red river prawns) and, of course, okra. My wife tends to add both minced okra and okra in large chunks, so I have followed her method here. She also always adds palm oil, if available.
Ingredients:
25-30 Pieces Fresh Okra
1 Cooking Spoon red Palm Oil
900g (2 lbs) Assorted Meats (Shaki, Ponmo, Cowfoot, Beef, Goat meat and offals are ideal)
2-3 Pieces Stock Fish (dried fish)
2 Medium Smoked Fish
12 Fresh king prawns, peeled
6 dried and Smoked Prawns
1 Cooking Spoon Crayfish (smoked and dried, ground)
2-3 Chopped Scotch Bonnet chillies (Atarodo)
1 red Romano Bell Pepper, Chopped (Tatashe)
4 garlic Cloves, Minced
1/2 Cooking Spoon fermented and smoked Locust Beans (Iru)
1/2 Cooking Spoon Cayenne Pepper (Ata gungun)
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 Maggi Chicken Cubes, crumbled
Salt to taste
Method:
Firstly, blend 1/3 of the Okra to a paste, then chop the remainder. If you want it chunky with no elasticity, you can chop the okra (which is how my many do it). I prefer a mix of chopped and pureed in mine). Clean the smoked fish and soak in hot water to remove all traces of sand and dirt. Once it’s softened a little, shred and set aside.
Boil the meats in a covered pot on medium to high heat with the chopped onion, stock Cubes, garlic and salt, to taste. Start with tougher meats like Shaki, Cow foot, Ponmo and add softer meats successively as you go. If you’re using stock fish, add with the softer meat.
Note that the meat stock is what provides the flavour for the soup, so ensure that the meat is well and properly seasoned so that you end up with very rich and tasty stock. You’ll need at least 1.25l (5 cups) of stock left in the pot after boiling the meat, so keep on topping up the liquid levels as you go.
When the meats are tender, transfer each piece of meat into a bowl, leaving just the stock in the pot. Add the palm oil and leave to boil over medium heat for 6-8 minutes. Now add the cayenne pepper, followed by the locust beans.
Stir in the ground crayfish, then the add chopped chillies and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes then add the blended okra, stirring vigorously to combine.
At this point add the shredded smoked fish, smoked prawns then return the cooked meat and smoked fish back into the pot. Stir to combine, then add the chopped okra.
Finally add the fresh prawns and cook for 5 minutes stir a final time, then serve.
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