African Okro Soup – Quick & healthy, oh-so-easy and yummy! Okro Soup African-style loaded with shrimp , oxtails with or without Egusi.
Growing up Okra Soup was on my list of reviled sauce; when okra soup was on the menu at home. I would often eat bread or Garri, for sustenance, – Anything but Okro! I had such negative memories, they were hard to shake off. There was always an okro party, in the neighborhood and for me it was not a pretty sight. I could go on, but I know you get the gist.
Fast forward a few years, and guess what? My taste buds have changed, I think improved and now I happily indulge in all things okro.
In fact, it has become one of my go to meals because of its ease of preparation and versatility. I can still be picky about texture from time to time (though, not nearly as much as I was when I was a kid).
For the health conscious, okra is a rich source of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins and a low calorie vegetable. Known in most West African Countries as Okro, and the French speaking countries as gumbo. While in the U.S it is referred to as okra. So okra and okro are pretty much the same thing.
Here is a one of my healthier take on Okro soup. It consists of okra, spinach, crayfish, meat, and egusi.
The texture of the egusi cuts the slipperiness of the okra and makes this dish a perfect one for those who are leery of its consistency
I intentionally do not include oil in this soup okra because I want to fill up on it. – Oil contains a boat load of calories which does not add flavor or texture to this meal.
To make it even healthier:
- Use very little or no egusi (pumpkin seeds)- You can easily purchase pumpkin seeds in most super markets . Use a coffee grinder to grind.
- Use stew beef instead of oxtails . Oxtails are have more fat . But can’t help but indulge – what I do to cut down on the fat is to remove the thin layer of fatty oil that comes to the top of the oxtail stock. You can do this by using a spoon or better yet boil the oxtail a day in advance, refrigerate, and gently remove the layer of fat.
- You can also use dried or smoked fish. If it is readily available. It’s a luxury for me.
Crayfish is optional in this recipe you can cook this soup without it too.
Serve okra soup hot, with this Ugali or Corn fufu HERE or rice.
Enjoy!!!!
Watch How To Make It
Okra Soup
Ingredients
- One pound okra fresh or frozen
- ½ pound meat oxtail
- ½ pound Shrimp
- ½ cup medium –sized Onions chopped
- ½ cup ground Crayfish
- 1 tablespoon Beef or chicken bouillon
- 3 cups of chopped Spinach
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup ground Egusi optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In medium –sized sauce pan boil oxtail seasoned with garlic salt, smoked paprika, pepper and onions until tender (approximately 30 -40 minutes). You can shorten this process in half by using a pressure cooker.
- If using fresh okra wash the okra, remove the tops and tails, and slice into rounds.
- Blend the okra to a coarse consistency in a food processor or you can finely chop the okra into coarse consistency using a sharp knife
- Add the ground crayfish, bouillon or Maggie and egusi into the pan of boiled meat , cook for 5 minutes
- Then add shrimp, cook for another 5 minutes and finally add the spinach and stir for about a minute or 2 .
- Serve warm with Fufu( any kind)
Nutrition Information:
Boiled oxtail with most fat skimmed
Blended okro
Ground crayfish
Ground egusi
Last thing you add is okra, shrimp and spinach.
Clarice says
Is there a way to make this with a reduced sodium content?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Clarice! You can use low-sodium bouillon and omit the salt.
David says
Can you recommend a good source for ground crayfish? Someplace that would sell enough to easily be at least 1/2 cup?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi David! You can always get some from the local wet market. 🙂
Ngum Kapapi says
I always enjoy your recipes. I also add stock fish to my okra.
imma africanbites says
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed them.