Cookbook:Nigerian Okra Soup I

Nigerian Okra Soup I
Category	Soup recipes
Difficulty

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

Nigerian okra soup, also called ila alasepo, is a stewed okra soup. It is a very popular delicacy among the Yoruba ethnic group of western Nigeria.

Ingredients

• Stockfish (Norwegian unsalted dried fish)
• Nigerian smoked dryfish
• Beef, in small chunks
• Water
• 250 g (8.8 oz) okra, finely diced
• Red palm oil
• Pumpkin leaves or spinach, washed and chopped
• 1 spoonful ground crayfish
• Pepper
• Salt
• Tripe (optional)
• Onion (optional)
• Shrimp (optional)

Procedure

1. Soak the dry fish and stockfish in water, then debone them. Cut into pieces.
2. Starting with the toughest meat first, cook all the meat and fish until done. Add water sparingly and top up as necessary.
3. Heat the palm oil in a separate pot. Add the diced okra and start frying.
4. Add some meat stock to the okra from time to time. Stir until you notice the okra start to draw. This process should take a maximum of 5 minutes to avoid overcooking the okra. Add hot water if necessary to get the consistency you like.
5. When the okra is very elastic, add the chopped vegetables and stir well. Add the meat and fish, ground crayfish, pepper, and salt to taste. Stir well.
6. Cover the pot and leave to simmer and it is ready to be served.

Notes, tips, and variations

• You can use frozen okra if that's all you have, but fresh okra is better.
• To make the okra very smooth, use a blender and blend until it's pureed. You can also cut it with a knife into smaller pieces to make it chunky, use a grater with a large hole shredder, or chop with a food processor.