Ogbono Soup With Okra Recipe

How to cook Ogbono Soup with Okra

You can also call it Okra Soup with Ogbono. The Ogbono Soup recipe detailed on this page is the one where Okra is added to the soup.

Ingredients for Ogbono Soup cooked with Okra

You can vary the quantities of Ogbono and Okra below depending on which one you want to have more of. So if you want your soup to be mainly Okra soup, you can decrease the quantity of Ogbono and increase the quantity of okra and vice versa.

• 2 handfuls Ogbono Seeds
• 200g Okra
• Assorted Meat and Fish: Beef, Shaki (cow tripe), Dry Fish, Stockfish
• 3 cooking spoons red palm oil
• Vegetable: Frozen Spinach (you can also use Pumpkin leaves or even Bitterleaf)
• 1 handful crayfish Pepper and
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 Stock cubes (Maggi/Knorr)

Important Tool Required: Spice grinder for grinding ogbono seeds

Before you cook Ogbono Soup with Okra

• Grind the Ogbono with a dry mill.
• Cut the okra fingers into tiny pieces. To achieve this, you need to make a few vertical cuts followed by horizontal cuts on the okra fingers.
• Cut the frozen spinach when it is not completely defrosted. It is easier that way. Then when completely defrosted, squeeze out the excess water.
• Cook the assorted meat with the stock cubes and onion.
• If you will use Shaki, remember to start cooking that first, then add beef when almost done.
• Grind crayfish and pepper.
• Boil some water and set aside.

Cooking Directions for Ogbono Soup with Okra

Pour the palm oil into a clean dry stainless steel or aluminium pot. Set on the stove and melt the oil at low heat.

• Remember, only melt the oil, do not allow it to heat up. Once melted, turn off the heat and add the ground Ogbono. Use your cooking spoon to dissolve the Ogbono in the oil.

• When all the Ogbono powder has completely mixed with the oil, add the meat/fish stock (water from cooking the assorted meat and fish). Set the heat of your cooker to low and start stirring. You will notice the Ogbono start to thicken and draw. Keep stirring till the Ogbono has completely absorbed the meat stock.

• Add a small quantity of the hot water and stir till the Ogbono has absorbed all the water. Repeat this process till you get a consistency that you are happy with.

• Making sure that your heat is set to low, cover the pot and start cooking. Once it starts to simmer, stir every 2-3 minutes for 20 minutes.

• So what you'll do is: every 3 minutes or so, open the pot, stir every well, scraping the Ogbono that sticks to the base of the pot, cover the pot and cook for another 3 minutes.

• After 20 minutes, the Ogbono should be well cooked and you will begin to perceive its nice flavour and aroma.

• Add the assorted meat and fish, ground crayfish, salt and pepper to taste. The Ogbono may have become thicker from the cooking. If so, add a little bit more water and stir very well. Cover and cook till the contents of the pot is well heated up.

• Stir very well. Add the okra and stir very well. Then add vegetables (e.g. spinach) if required.

• Cover and leave to heat up very well and it is ready.

Serve with Garri (Eba), Semolina Fufu, Amala, Cassava Fufu or Pounded Yam.