GARDEN EGGS AND OKRA STEW RECIPE - Quick and tasty

Waakye stew is a perfectly spiced, slow cooked Tomato stew synonymous with the Northerners from Ghana. The stew is usually served with a Rice and Beans dish cooked in Sorghum leaves called Waakye, hence the apt description ‘Waakye Stew’.

WAAKYE TOMATO STEW RECIPE 

The first episode covered the Garden Egg stew recipe, which is easy and quick to emulate. In the absence of Garden Eggs you can use Aubergines instead.

QUICK GARDEN EGGS STEW RECIPE 

In the second episode of the Waakye Stew series, (where I will be creating as many dishes as I can with the perfectly spiced Tomato stew), is this Okra and Garden Eggs stew recipe.

To make this quick Okra and Garden Eggs stew you will need the following ingredients;

INGREDIENTS 

300g of chopped Okra

200ml of Water

300g of smoked Haddock or Mackerel 

1 large Onion

3 chopped mild Red Chillies or 1 Habanero Chilli for a hotter

Quarter of a teaspoon of Bicarbonate Soda

300g of Garden Eggs stew

Watch how to prepare this quick Okra and Garden Eggs stew recipe which is nutritious and budget friendly below;

Please don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share with family and friends.

RECIPES TO TRY👇🏾

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

THE HEALTHIEST GHANAIAN VILLAGE OKRO SOUP RECIPE

Hearing how expensive groceries are in #Ghana I created this recipe to give everyone the chance to eat nutritious dishes to boost their immune system. 

For the lucky ones who are able to put food on their table, do share a bowl with a neighbour who might be struggling by their door. 

To prepare the  healthiest Okro soup recipe served with steamed #Ghanaian Brown rice ball, you’ll need the following ingredients;

INGREDIENTS 

300g of chopped Okra

2 large Onions

40g of  Ginger

3 thinly sliced cloves of Garlic

250g of smoked fried Herrings

1 litre of Water

70g of smoked Shrimps

2-3 Habanero chillies or Kasoa Pepper

1 tablespoonful of Keta School Boys (sun-dried Anchovies)

Salt to taste

BROWN RICE BALL

250g of Brown Rice flour

350 ml of water

Salt to taste

How about this Gluten free lightly fermented steamed corn ball?

METHOD 

Watch how to prepare this healthy Okro soup recipe below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

THE EVERGREEN OKRO SOUP - A PESCATARIAN RECIPE

Gosh! The weather is changing here in the UK as it’s freezing. Phew! This requires a healthy spicy soup to boost ones immune system. I’ve been craving for a Pescatarian Evergreen Okro soup this week and had to treat myself to it. No sooner had I finished preparing this soup and asking everyone the recipe they will love to see next on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’, (a choice between the Monkfish Red Curry and this Okro soup), did a resounding vote go to the Okro soup. 

Considering the plethora of Okro recipes I have created, I thought the Monkfish curry would win.

So here you have it my lovelies. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS 

600g of chopped fresh Okra 

1.5 litres of water

800g of Tilapia fillets

1 Red Mullet or Red Snapper fish

500g of Crabs

250g of Smoked Fish

1 large sliced Red Onion

2 Habanero Chillies

6 large mild Green Chillies

250g of Chopped Garden Eggs leaves/ Spinach/Kale

1 levelled teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda

2 tablespoonful of a Ginger, Garlic, Onion & Aniseed blend

Salt to taste

SPICE BLEND 

40g of Ginger

1 large Onion 

3 cloves of Garlic 

1 levelled tablespoon of Aniseed 

50g of smoked dried Shrimps

METHOD 

Watch how to prepare this amazing and equally healthy soup below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe and share. All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

TASTIEST GOAT MEAT & TILAPIA OKRO SOUP

How many Okra recipes and varied methods of cooking are there? Find out by watching the video at the bottom of this post.

INGREDIENTS 

1kg of Goat Meat

2kg of cleaned and gutted Tilapia

3 Habanero Chilli

1kg of Chopped Okra

4 tablespoonful of Coconut oil

20g of Tomato purée 

2 large Onions

Half a teaspoon of Bicarbonate Soda

1 litre Water

100g of Prawns (Optional)

Salt to taste

SPICE BLEND 

30g of Ginger

1large Onion

1 teaspoonful of Aniseed 

METHOD 

Watch how to prepare this creative and equally delicious recipe below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe and leave comments with your feedback.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

THE PERFECT OKRO SOUP RECIPE

Okra is a versatile vegetable that can be grilled, steamed, boiled, made into a stir fry, stew or soup. Okra is enjoyed across the world including Ghana, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Nigeria, Togo to mention but a few. Okra is also known as ‘Lady’s fingers’, Bhindi , Gumbo etc

Okro soup is the traditional dish of  the Ewe tribe in Ghana and it is also enjoyed in Togo and Nigeria.

Okra contains potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. It's low in calories and has a high dietary fiber content.

Okro soup can be made with Meat, Poultry, Vegetables and Sea Food ans can be as simple as you wish or decadent by combining Meat and Fish. 

Enjoy this decadent edition. 

INGREDIENTS

3 large Onions

500g of chopped Okra

20ml of Zomi or Palm oil

2 Habanero chillies

40g of blended Ginger, Aniseed & Onion

1 large blended Tomato

1 shrimp stock cube

400g of Smoked Mackerel or any fish of your choosing

500g of diced Lamb pieces with bones

150g of Prawns

200g of Crabs

250ml of water

60g of Gboma (The African Egg Plant) leaves or Spinach.

Salt to taste.

METHOD 

Watch how to make this decadent Okro soup on my YouTube channel. 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Don't forget to subscribe, like the video, try the recipe, leave a comment with your feedback and share. 

All photos, recipes and videos are by he owner of this blog. 

AKPLE and FETRI DETCHI RECIPE

Akple and Fetri detchi is the traditional dish of Ewes from Ghana and Togo. Nigerians also do enjoy this dish, which isn't surprising, as Ewes also settled in the Northern parts of Nigeria before migrating to their current settlements. 

Honestly there are various ways of creating this delicacy and it's Gluten free.

You'll find various creative recipes here on my blog and YouTube channel, hence you're spoilt for choice.

Akple is made from milled corn mixed with Cassava dough and Fetri detchi is made from Okro, your preferred meat or vegetables and spices.

It's a perfect match , however you can substitute the Akple for Eba (which is made from Gari) or Rice.

Be adventurous if you've never tried this Ghanaian dish. 

NOTE;

There's a knack to enjoying the soup, which includes one circling their fingers to prevent a messy eat. A perfect excuse to befriend an Okra eating connoisseur. 😜

Watch how to make Okro soup on my YouTube channel 'Ndudu by Fafa'. 

Don't forget to subscribe and share. 

OIL FREE SEAFOOD OKRO SOUP

 

Okra soup or Fetri detsi is one of the traditional dishes from the Ewe tribe in West Africa. There are various ways of making Okro soup including cooking it with Zomi (spiced Palm oil), Sunflower oil or an oil free option. 

One can choose to use either Beef, Goat meat, Lamb, Chicken, Fish , Seafood or a mixture of both Meat and Fish as their choice of protein. 

This dish is inspired by my Aunty Anna who lived in a town called Mpraeso in the Kwahu mountains of Ghana (where I attended boarding school). She made the Okra with smoked Tilapia and fresh ingredients she  picked from her farm earlier in the day.

 I watched in anticipation (with my ball of Banku ready) as she added the shredded , freshly picked Cocoyam leaves to the soup (knowing the soup would be ready soon) and not wasting time to extend my bowl of Banku for my share of the soup. 

On one occasion my cousins and I feasted on this delicacy, going for seconds till we couldn't stand up. 

We had to run to relieve our intentional discomfort which reeked of gluttony. Childhood shenanigans...

SMOKED TILAPIA

There was no stock cube in sight as the flavour of the smoked Tilapia gave the dish its needed flavour.

The fresh nature of her ingredients gave the dish a clean and smoky taste packed with bags of natural flavours.

 

You can purchase smoked Tilapia from most African grocers or alternatively slow grill a fresh one for 2 hours at 140*c.

CHILLIES

Chillies do play a pivotal role in most West African dishes.They provide the obvious heat to most dishes and also a unique aromatic taste. 

I've noticed most Chillies in the UK lack the aromatic smell and flavour I'm describing here. You're more likely to find the aromatic kind at an African grocer.

 

AKAUN / KAUN / POTASH

Akaun is a natural lake salt that forms during the rainy season and dries out into a firm grey rough like rock in the dry season. It's best used to tenderise meat, soften pulses when cooked and activates the mucilage of Okra, which works well with this recipe.

There are different types of Akaun which includes one made from unripened Plantain peels or Palm fruit ashes , which are a healthier alternatives. 

Akaun is used in this recipe to activate the Okra's viscosity but it can be omitted and pulsed in a food processor. 

Akaun is available in most African grocers , however you can use Bicarbonate Soda  in the absence of Akaun. 

 

OKRA / OKRO

Ladies fingers/ Gumbo / Bhindi

When choosing your Okra/ Okro, ensure it has an even green colour all over and the tip snaps easily with little pressure.

The Okra needs to be finely diced for this recipe or for an easier option, blend it with a little water in a food processor.

Let's start cooking!

 

INGREDIENTS 

400g of finely diced Okra

1 large smoked Tilapia 

250g of fresh Prawns

200g of Shitake Mushrooms 

1 large Onion

1 Habanero chilli

1 medium finely sliced Onion

30g of grated Ginger 

Half a teaspoon of Akaun (Optional).

2 cloves of grated Garlic 

350g of fresh Spinach 

500g of fresh dressed Crab

1 litre of Water or Vegetable stock

 

METHOD

Blend the Ginger, Aniseed, Garlic and Onion into a smooth paste.

Place the smoked Tilapia, a litre of water into a large saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Add the sliced Onions and half of the Ginger mix and boil for about 30 minutes.

This process is to create your own stock for the soup.

Add the Crabs and cook further for 10 minutes. This will allow the flavour of the crab to infuse into the stock and vice versa.

 

At this stage add the chopped Okra, Akaun , the remaining Ginger mix and stir. 

I prefer to add the remaining Ginger mix at this stage , as it gives the soup a refreshing and spicy taste.

Cook for 4 minutes and add the Prawns.

It's best to add the Prawns and Spinach as the last thing (this ensures they aren't over cooked and retain their nutrients).

Cook the Prawns for 2 minutes and add the washed Spinach. 

 Mix everything together and turn the heat off.

Cover the soup with the lid of the saucepan and let it rest for 2 minutes. This will trap the steam and cook the Prawns and Spinach further.

 

Serve immediately and enjoy it on its own or with AmoKple.

Find the AmoKple recipe on my YouTube channel , 'Ndudu by Fafa'. 

I've written about a few different Okra recipes on my blog, do check it out. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.

OIL FREE OKRA SOUP

After a rather stressful day, I craved for a smoky, spicy and nutritious soup. The thought of a quick fresh Okra soup got my taste buds tingling. A quick dash to my local grocers and fishmonger helped with stocking on Okra, Seabream and smoked Cod.  Within few minutes of uploading images to my Instagram and Facebook page,  have I been asked for the recipe. Here you go, enjoy.

Ingredients;

500g of chopped fresh Okra

800ml of Chicken / Vegetable stock / water.

2 large finely diced red onions

30g of grated ginger

1 large habanero chilli

1 shrimp stock cube (optional)

1 clove of crushed garlic 

Smoked Cod or Smoked Tilapia, cut into chunks 

2 medium sized Sea bream, Red Snapper or Mackerel  (cut in half and grilled for 12 minutes ) 

400g of blanched chopped Spinach or Cocoyam leaves

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda 

To blanch the Spinach /Cocoyam leaves (Kontomire)

Add water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add your washed Cocoyam leaves (Kontomire), stir till it's  fully  incorporated into the hot water. Cook for 4 minutes and strain using a colander.

Using Spinach

Once the water is boiled, turn the heat off, then add the Spinach. Stir the washed Spinach (using a wooden spoon) into the hot water for 30 seconds. Use a colander to strain off the hot water. 

Once you've followed the above instructions for cooking the Spinach or Cocoyam leaves (Kontomire) 

 run your respective choice  under very cold water, ( this stops the Cocoyam leaves (Kontomire) or Spinach from cooking further and to keep it's green colour). 

Method;

Place a saucepan on a medium heat.  Add the chicken stock and bring it to the boil.  (recipe for homemade Chicken stock is available on my blog). You can use any stock of your choosing or water.

Add the chopped onions , ginger and garlic and cook for 4 minutes 

Add the chopped Okra, stir and cook for 2 minutes 

Add the bicarbonate soda , stock cube, half a teaspoon of salt and mix well. 

Add your preferred fish and cook for  5 minutes 

Add your chopped blanched Spinach, stir and cook for 3 minutes. 

Turn the heat off and leave to rest or 3 minutes before serving. 

I enjoyed this on it's own, however try it with steamed rice , Banku (A Ghanaian steamed dumpling ball made from fermented corn and cassava), Akple ( made from milled sun dried corn) or Kenkey. 

You can substitute the fish for Poultry and meat.  

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog. 

Subscribe to my YouTube page 'Ndudu by Fafa' for more recipes

OKRA SOUP

In response to the high demand for my quick Okra soup, here is a recipe to tingle your taste buds. 

Ingredients:

500g Chopped Okra

1 litre Chicken stock / Vegetable stock 

2 medium sized onions

I teaspoon of coconut oil or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 whole Habanero/ Scotch Bonnet Chilli

30g of peeled ginger

1 smoked chipotle chilli (optional)

1 large bag of fresh spinach

2 large diced sun-ripened tomatoes

1 teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda (optional )

Salt

 

The exciting thing about this dish is, you can create a variation with different flavours by using the following or combining them ( an indulgent act).

 Choose;

Seafood medley ( Prawns, Crabs, mussels)

Mixed fish or Fish balls ( smoked fish, fresh fish, fried fish)

Meat or meat balls (Goat,Lamb,Beef)

Poultry ( smoked Turkey, Chicken, Guinea Fowl, Duck, Pheasant )

Vegetable Medley

For a vegetarian option you can add Cauliflower and Aubergine.

Okra (Ladies Fingers, Bhindi, Fetri)

Method;

Blend together the ginger, 1 whole onion and cumin. Add a bit of water and blend to a silky smooth consistency.

In a saucepan on a medium heat add the oil till it's warm. Add the cumin and ginger mix and cook slowly for about 8 minutes or until you have a a thick paste. (The reason I slow cook the the mix is, the onion caramelises which lends it's sweetness to the dish. It's all about flavour remember)

Using another saucepan on a medium heat warm your preferred stock and add the chopped okra. 

Add the bicarbonate of soda which activates the Okra's mucilage. This is optional, as some prefer the soup without it's slimy characteristic.

A chicken and vegetable mix Okra Soup

Cook for 2 minutes then add your cumin and ginger paste. 

Cut your medium sized onions in two and slice sideways and add to the okra mix. 

I used prawns and left over cooked meatballs for this recipe. I added the raw prawns  (cooked for 2 minutes) and then added the meat balls.

Add the chipotle (for a smoky flavour) and salt to taste.

Cook for a further 3 minutes and turn the heat off. 

Add the chopped tomatoes and spinach. Cover the soup  to allow the spinach to wilt and the flavours to infuse for 5 minutes. 

Okra soup with meat balls and prawns

Voila your Okra Soup is ready. Best eaten with Banku ( steamed corn and cassava dumpling , rice, yam)

Traditionally Palm oil is used for a rather earthy taste. When cooking with Palm oil it's best to use smoked fish or meat, for poultry and seafood it's best to use vegetable oil, coconut oil or unrefined Shea butter. 

Okra soup cooked with Palm oil (Made by my Mum)

The perfect way of enjoying Banku and Okra soup.

Watch the full video on my Youtube page, Ndudu by Fafa. Click on the link below;

 All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.