Gambian-style Okro Soup is a traditional Gambian recipe for a classic stew of goat meat, tripe and cow heals in a red palm oil and okra and with chillies and mushrooms. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Gambian version of: Gambian-style Okro Soup.
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This is a classic mix meat okra soup with red palm oil from the Gambia.
Ingredients:
30 large fresh Okra, sliced into thin rounds
2 onions
5 Scotch bonnet chillies
salt to your taste or Maggi cubes
250ml (1 cup) red palm oil
20 peeled king prawns (shrimp)
2 smoked catfish (or substitute smoked mackerel), thoroughly washed
100g (3 1/2 oz) beef honeycomb tripe, washed
300g (2/3 lb) goat meat, cubed (or use beef or lamb)
2 cow heels, chopped (optional)
6 large mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 shrimp Maggi bouillon cubes
1 tsp ground habanero chilli
3 maggi stock cubes
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
salt, to taste
Method:
Coarsely chop the onions, and combine with 2 Scotch bonnet chillies, 1 shrimp maggi bouillon and 2 maggi stock cubes and 1 tsp salt with 500ml (2 cups) water in a blender. Process until smooth then pour into a pressure cooker and add your goat meat and cow heels. Pour in enough water so the meat is covered, then arrange the tripe on top. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes (this saves a lot of time as compared to cooking the meat on the hob).
Cut your smoked fish into pieces (about 3 per fish) and set aside.
Allow the pressure cooker to cool down naturally and when you can open, transfer the contents to a large cast-iron casserole (Dutch oven). Add the red palm oil (don't worry if you can't get any, vegetable oil mixed with Kashmiri chilli (for the colour) will do) along with the smoked fish pieces. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes then take out the smoked fish and set aside.
At this point, add in the sliced okra and 1 tsp bicarbonate or soda. Stir to combine, then mix in the remaining shrimp Maggi and the habanero powder. Add the mushrooms (if using) and sit the remaining 3 Scotch bonnet chillies (whole) on top. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the prawns and stir to combine. Return to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes more.
Now return the smoked fish to the soup. Cook for 2 minutes more to heat up. Serve hot with garri, pounded yam, fufu or rice.
