#NaijaKitchen: The healthiest way to prepare Okro soup

Okro soup also suitable for invalids

HEALTH BENEFITS

• Provides an excellent source of vitamins C and K1. While the Vitamin C contributes to your overall immune function, the vitamin K1 plays a perfect role in blood clotting.

• Low in calories and carbs and contains some protein and fiber.

• Contains antioxidant nutrients.

• Contains properties that lower risk of heart diseases, high cholesterol levels are associated with a greater risk of heart disease, and Okro contains a thick gel-like substance called mucilage, which can bind to cholesterol during digestion, causing it to be excreted with stools rather than absorbed into your body.

Okro soup is an all-round vegetable meal. If prepared the right way, and not overcooked, is a source of numerous vitamins and minerals.

Vegetable Okro is often considered easy to swallow or lick by invalids or persons who are recuperating. Funnily enough, some toddlers like to lick Vegetable Okro soup.

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh or soft Okro
• Ugwu leaves
• Crayfish
• Ponmo
• Meat or fresh or iced Fish
• Dry fish
• Iru
• Pepper
• Onions
• Palmoil
• Seasoning cubes
• Salt

PREPAPRATION in 5 easy steps:

STEP 1

Wash the ponmo thoroughly then put it in a pot. Slice a small bulb of onions, put it in the pot with the ponmo and enough water to cook for about 10 minutes. However, you can stop cooking it when it’s as tender as you want.

STEP 2

While the ponmo is cooking, wash the Okro and grate it. You could also simply slice it, but that would mean the okro seeds would be very visible. You could pound the okro after slicing if you like. Pounding okro is believed to heighten its elasticity. The Ugwu leaves can also be washed and sliced during this time.

STEP 3

After 10 minutes of cooking the ponmo, you can add the meat, a seasoning cube and few pinches of salt. If you are using fish, you can add it when the ponmo is tender and cook for about seven minutes. This cooking would generate the stock that becomes the water of the soup.

STEP 4

When the meat is as tender as you want, add blended crayfish, blended fresh or dry pepper, Iru, and dry fish to the pot. After about five minutes of boiling, pour in a few spoons of palm oil, just enough to give the soup a hint yellow. Some would rather fry the oil, and pepper but to keep a check on your cholesterol intake, boiling the oil is best.

STEP 5

Allow the soup to boil for about five minutes then add the grated Okro. Since Okro is a vegetable, it should cook for no more than three minutes before you put in the sliced Ugwu. Stir nicely and allow to cook for another three minutes. Voila! Vegetable Okro is ready.

Also, read Preparing Coconut Rice for lunch? Follow these 4 easy steps for best result

For those on a diet, this is a complete meal of protein and vegetables, plus no frying involved. Also, feel free to use chicken, beef, veal, and/or shrimps for your soup. As the saying goes, ‘na your money kill am.’ Even if you are not on a diet, eating healthy is what you owe yourself. A wrap of Eba will go nicely with Vegetable Okro if you are not on a diet.

This recipe was brought to you by TEY Edibles Kitchen, your plug for healthy meals. Call us or send a Whatsapp message to 0702 536 3145. Follow us on social media @teyedibles.