Okro Soup
Okro soup is one of the most affordable but nutritious African soups, and it is more like a one-dollar soup.
This is one of the most common soups eaten by the people of Igbo South Eastern part of Nigeria. Often, I combine okro and ogbono for better results, you can learn more here about making Nigerian Ogbolo(ogbono) soup.
The Yorubas make efo elegusi while the Igbos make ofe egusi, all with similar ingredients but with slightly different approaches.
Is Okro soup Good for Kids?
There are several reasons I like this soup, the most outstanding reason being that kids love it, I learned that the best way to introduce eba or fufu to kids is to serve it with Okra or ogbono soup, this way it would be very easy for them to swallow, I have tried it, it worked for my kids.
Okra is also good for adults, I just made a pot of okra soup before writing this, a tiny quantity that would serve for this night, it is Sunday night here in Nigeria. I like this soup because the two major ingredients are very rich in vitamins (okra and fluted pumpkin)
Ingredients
For 4x2 Serves
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Sliced Okra |
medium size full bowl |
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Stockfish head |
medium size |
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Meat(chicken) |
2 lb |
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Shombo peppers |
5 |
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Scotch Bonnet Peppers |
2 |
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Mackerel |
500g |
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Seasoning Cubes |
2 |
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Salt to Taste |
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Red Palm Oil |
200ml |
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Ground Crayfish |
Half Cup |
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Here are some ingredients used for making this soup.
Preparation
Step 1
Slice the okra and set it aside in a bowl, the trader in most Nigerian markets can assist you with slicing the okra, but you can also try using a kitchen knife, I like to slice Okra myself, although there is no harm in using the help of the market women.
Remove center seeds from the shombo, combine with scotch bonnet and blend or pound using a mortar and pestle. Also, blend or grind the crayfish.
Step 2
I used just 1kg (2.2lb) of chicken and 500g of fish for this okra soup.
I like to parboil meat with lots of spices and then use very little while making the real soup.
Step 3
Add the stockfish to the boiling pot, one more cup of water, and cook for about 10 minutes till they are soft for consumption.
Add two cups of water
Step 4
Introduce 200ml of palm oil, add the crayfish, pepper/shombo, and salt to taste.
Let it boil for 8 minutes. Add the cooked chicken/fish and allow simmering for three more minutes.
Step 5
Add the sliced okra and stir. Drop the cooked mackerel fish on top.
Allow simmering for 3-4 minutes, and you are done with this delicious soup.
You can serve ofe okro with eba, fufu or pounded yam.
Step 6
Add the washed dry fish, stockfish, ground crayfish, a seasoning cube, ground scotch bonnet pepper, and 2 cups of water. Then cover halfway and allow boiling for the next ten minutes.
Step 7
Stir occasionally to avoid burning. One spoon of ground dawadawa (local ingredients), and a taste for salt and pepper.
Add a handful of sliced utazi leaves.
Allow to simmer on low heat for 2 minutes, stir, and you just made a delicious pot of egusi soup
