Ofe Okro
And a bit of Igbo for your timeline
I’ve been away—it’s true—on a quest of sorts, slaying a dragon with too much eyeliner. (LOL)
There’s a tale I’ll come back to tell. Soon, I promise.
But sometimes, life requires less spilling of tea, and more eating of soup. That should be a adage.
So today, instead of a tale, I’ll focus on something else rich and savoury—ofe okra (okra soup).
Shall we begin?
Ofe Okuru nwere Azụ na Oporo
Okoro Soup with Seafood (Fish and Shrimp)
I’ve used the Igbo (or in some cases Yoruba/Hausa) names for the different ingredients —added English to help ya along. :)
Ingredients:
Seafood
You can really sub in whatever seafood you want (e.g. lobster, crab), just be mindful of their cook time. I’d keep the mackerel and the cod for the salt and smokey qualities.
200g | 7oz Azụ okporoko (Dried Salted Cod (skinless/boneless))
165g | 5.8oz Oporo Ukwu (Jumbo King Prawns)
158g | 5.5oz Azụatụ (Smoked Mackerel) — deboned and chunked
240g | 8.5oz Azụ salmon (Fresh Salmon — cut into 1-inch cubes)
The Base & Aromatics
400g | 14oz Okuru (Okra) — 133g (4.7oz) rough-blended with 1 tbsp water; 267g (9.3oz) hand-chopped
1 tbsp Olive oil and
2 Ose Ukwu/Tatashe (Large Red Peppers; the long ones), 2 Scotch Bonnets — You can use 1, adjust to your taste), and ½ a yabasị (Red Onion).
A dash of Turmeric.
2 tbsp Ogiri/Iru (Locust Beans), 3 tbsp ịsha/oporo (Ground Crayfish), and a split bouillon base (½ smoked prawn cube + ½ beef cube).
If bouillon cubes don’t sit well with you, just use two cups of a smokey fish broth.
a handful of fresh, chopped/shreddedAkwụkwọ Nri (Spinach or Ugu).
Essential Extras:
2 cups Water (plus more, from a boiled kettle, for adjusting consistency)
If you want to use fish broth, you don’t need two cups. Just enough to adjust to the level you want it.
Instructions and Tips
Heat throughout: medium
1. Tip I learned from my mommy: Before you start, boil a full kettle of water and keep it on standby. This is your insurance policy. If the Okuru “draw” becomes too thick or tight you’ll use this to loosen the consistency whilst still maintaining a good cooking temperature.
2. Prepping the Cod: Since we are using dried salted cod, it needs a 10-minute “hard boil” in plain water first. Drain and rinse. This softens the fish and ensures it doesn’t hijack the salt levels of the entire pot.
3. Let’s make the base: Blend your long red pepper, scotch bonnet, turmeric, and half a the red onion into a smooth paste. In your main pot, heat the 1 tbsp of olive oil. Pour in the blend and sauté for about 5 minutes. The oil will turn a vibrant, orange—this is the turmeric and pepper “blooming” to replace the visual depth of palm oil. You can also just use RED palm oil, but I prefer this.
4. Building the Smoked Stock: Add the Ogiri, the pre-boiled cod chunks, and your two half-bouillon cubes. Pour in 2 cups (475ml) of water and add the Azụatụ (Smoked Mackerel). Add in the rest of the onion (diced) and the crayfish. Stir to incorporate. Let this boil vigorously for 8 minutes. You want the mackerel to release its oils and the cod to absorb the peppery base.
If you chose to use broth instead of bullion cubes, this is where that goes.
5. The Delicate Poach: Gently drop in your salmon cubes and Oporo Ukwu (Prawns). Poach for 3 minutes. As soon as the prawns curl and the salmon turns opaque, use a slotted spoon to fish them out and set them aside in a bowl.
Note: This is to make sure your salmon stays in chunks and your prawns don’t get overcooked. If you stir the okra with the salmon in the pot, it will disintegrate into the broth.
6. The “Draw”: Add both your 1/3 rough-blended Okuru and your 2/3 chopped Okuru. Stir well to activate the mucilage. If the soup looks too thick, reach for your kettle and add a splash of boiling water until the “draw” flows perfectly.
Note: Some people don’t like the mucous-like “draw” of okra. TOO BAD LMAO!! but if you want less draw, then chop the okra instead of blending it. The less blended it is, the less that effect is activated. But the draw is part of what makes okra soup so good, so go ahead and try it.
7. Adding your greens: Stir in your Akwụkwọ Nri (Spinach). Once they wilt, gently slide your poached salmon and prawns back into the pot. Give it one very careful stir, taste for salt (you likely won’t need any), and turn off the heat immediately.
GO AHEAD AND EAT IT
You can eat it as is or you can pair this with your favourite “swallow” such as semo or pounded yam.
