How To Prepare Nigerian Okro Soup

My people. Good evening.  This is a traditional soup known as Okro soup, so it would be wrong to get it wrong.

I virtually grew up eating this soup with all kinds of food including rice and only very few people would say they don’t love Nigerian Okro soup (ila-alasepo).

How To Prepare Nigerian Okro Soup

I totally dig this soup because of its slimy nature; whatever you eat it with will go down the throat easily and smoothly with you enjoying the taste.

By the way, its other name is called “lady’s finger”. That name is kinda dumb because it doesn’t look like a lady’s finger to me rather, it looks like “chickens toes” lol

Before going to its preparation, let me gist you small about its health benefits maybe you can be convinced to eat this delicacy.

Okro Soup Ingredients

Benefits Of Eating Nigerian Okro Soup

Where should I start? It benefits in so many ways that I’m tempted to say, go and find your own amidst many wonderful things Okro does to the body

However, this is where you should be.  Kk, let’s deal with some of the most important benefits

1. It lowers your blood sugar and prevents diabetes or should I say stabilizes blood sugar because too low blood sugar too is a problem.

2. It heals ulcers by covering the wounds with its slimes; it’s also very basic so it neutralizes too much acid in the body.

3. It helps to make the body look smooth and beautiful.

4. It also assists in the healing of respiratory problems

5. It helps to relax blood vessels and arteries and lots more…

Recipes (Ingredients) For Okro Soup

  • Okro-200g
  • Palm oil- 3-4 big spoon
  • Dried Stockfish
  • Pepper(habanero)
  • Stock Cubes
  • Crayfish
  • Dried fish
  • Iru (optional)
  • Cow skin (diced)
  • Smoked fish (Any type you love)
  • Leafy vegetable (bitter leaf or any type you love)
  • Preps (Prep time 30mins, Cooking time 20mins)            

How To Prepare?

The first thing I do when I prepare a soup that consists of dried stockfish is to wash it with salt and hot water after soaking the stockfish.

It’s hard and it takes time to soften except if it won’t be consumed immediately in the soup but it’s too tempting to resist when in soup.

Next is cutting the Okro by making horizontal and vertical slices in the Okro before slicing through with the knife.

The tiny slices depend on the tribe also in that Some prefer thinner slices while some prefer it diced big or to avoid totally the use of a knife or just grate it with a grater.

After these are done; wash and squeeze your bitter leaf to remove the bitterness.

Prepare your cow skin and the fish with salt, onion, and cubes. Set aside.

Put the oil pot under medium heat and leave for a few seconds for the oil to come alive.

Add your onions, and start stirring lightly for them to bubble.

Leave to cook for like 3-5minutes depending on the cooking appliances

Then, add your cow skin, stock fish, smoked fish, and crayfish

Let it cook for more time, probably 15mins and when it’s about to end, pour your bitter leaf and let it stay for extra 5 minutes and it’s completely done.

Thanks for reading.  Do not forget to share this process on how to prepare Nigerian Okro Soup. Love you.

I'm a passionate professional chef. I run a food company called Baker's Cafe. I seek food knowledge and love to dispense it for your benefit alone.