How to prepare okro/okra soup

In the scare of coronavirus (COVID 19), President Akufo-Addo has advised Ghanaians to take in key vitamins to fortify the immune system noting that fortunately, all of these can be found in many of our local foods.

Amongst the food he mentioned were oranges, kontomire, millet, cashew nuts, crabs, plantain, okro, dawadawa, brown rice and mushrooms.

Okra or okro soup is a mixture of ingredients that are rich in protein and vitamins.

It is a combination of meat and vegetables fused together in the right conditions to make a sumptuous meal.

Okro soup recipes vary depending on the ingredients you wish to use.

1 medium-sized salmon

1 lb smoked turkey (Note: traditionally most people tend to use beef)

1 pound Okro (Note: Ghanaians call okra "okro")

2 cloves garlic

3 medium tomatoes

1 large onion

1 tsp. grated ginger

2 chilli peppers, ground or finely chopped

3 garden eggs

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/2 cup palm oil

2 cubes of Bouillon cubes

Salt to taste

Method:

Chop half of the pound of okra, then grate the other half. The smaller you cut the okra, the better the draw will be.
Cut the stalks off the garden eggs and cut them in half.
Soak the garden eggs and the okra for 10 minutes before transferring them to a pot to boil until the garden eggs turn translucent. Remove from flame.
In a separate pot, pour 1/2 cup of palm oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, ginger, bouillon cubes, ground chilli pepper and garlic. (Optional: add some ground ginger). As the mixture softens, add tomato and mushrooms, and continue to let it simmer over the fire.
Allow the pot with the palm oil mixture to continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the smoked turkey and fish. Once the turkey and fish are sufficiently cooked, add the okra mixture.
Add the okra into the mixture by turning it from the bottom of the pot to the top. Allow the mixture to cook for another 10 minutes. The okra is added last in order to avoid over-cooking it.
Serve when ready alongside banku