Nigerian Okra Soup

Ingredients

• 500g fresh okra, sliced thinly
• 250g stockfish, pre-soaked and cleaned
• 150g dried fish, cleaned
• 300g beef, cut into chunks
• 150g cow tripe (shaki), cleaned and cut into pieces (optional)
• 100ml palm oil
• 3 tbsp ground crayfish
• 1-2 tbsp ground scotch bonnet pepper, to taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 seasoning cubes
• 1 tbsp locust beans (iru), optional
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as needed

Before you cook

• Soak the stockfish and dried fish in hot water for 20 minutes until softened, then rinse and clean, removing scales and bones.
• Wash the okra and slice it thinly.
• Chop the onion.
• Measure out the ground crayfish and ground pepper.

Steps

1. Place the beef and shaki in a large pot with the chopped onion, one seasoning cube, and enough water to cover.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the meat is tender.
3. Add the soaked stockfish and dried fish and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
4. Lift out the fish, remove any remaining bones, and return the flesh to the pot.
5. Stir the palm oil into the pot.
6. Add the ground crayfish, ground pepper, and the second seasoning cube.
7. Season with salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the sliced okra.
9. Add the locust beans if using.
10. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes only, stirring gently, until the okra has softened but the soup keeps its stretchy texture.
11. Remove the pot from the heat right away to avoid overcooking the okra.
12. Serve hot with pounded yam, eba, or fufu.