The Kitchen Sink Okro soup with flavours from Yorubaland, Igboland and The South South
Ingredients
Banga - palm fruit extract
Beef Stock
Uyayak - aidan fruit
Banga Spices
Chopped Okro
Fresh pepper - you can also use dry pepper
Mixed Fresh Seafood - optionalAssorted Meats
Smoked fish
Stockfish
Iru - fermented locust beans
Ground crayfish
Atama or Obeletientien - dried native aromatic herbs
Uziza leaves - native spicy hot plant
Salt
Seasoning cubes - optional
Instructions
I am using canned palm fruit extract, but you can also use it fresh. In a pot, add the palm fruit extract, beef stock, and enough water to cook the quantity of okro that you have. Add the uyayak and a cooking spoonful worth of powdered banga spices to the pot.
While your palm fruit and stock is boiling, using a food processor, roughly chop the okro and fresh pepper. I am using ata rodo here. I also added the leftover onions that I had. I wasn't going to throw it away or store it. See why it is the kitchen sink okro soup? Lol.
While your banga stock is boiling, add the fresh seafood if you are using it to the pot and cook them till pink. Take them out of the pot as soon as they have cooked and set aside.
Add your boiled assorted meats, Iru, softened stockfish, smoked fish and ground crayfish to the pot and give it another 5 minutes to allow the flavours develop. Taste and re-season if necessary.
By now, your stock should have reduced to an extent. Examine the quantity against how much shopped okro that you have and either decant a little into a bowl, or carry on cooking.
Add the chopped okro and pepper to the pot and give it a good stir.
Before the Okro has cooked through, crush dried atama or obeletientien between your palms and add to the pot, followed by chopped uziza leaves. When the chunks of okro have cooked sufficiently to your liking, give it one last taste and adjust if you think you need it. Serve with your choice of soup staples. I recommend Yellow Garri or Pounded Yam
Recipe by Dooney's Kitchen at http://dooneyskitchen.com/abak-etighi-the-kitchen-sink-okro-soup/