With a backyard garden, it is easy for me to make a quick dash to my garden, grab a couple of vegetables and cook with them. Ugu, Utazi, Uziza, Bitterleaf, Ewedu, sometimes Shoko and Tete (Amaranth) and now Okra leaves.

Did you know you can cook with young Okra (Okro) leaves? If you are making a pot of Ewedu soup and for some reason, it doesn’t “draw” well, add slices of young okra leaves and you will get the “draw”

Young Okra leaves can be cooked into a pot of delicious vegetable soup (draw soup). I specified young leaves because the older leaves are less slimy and quite fibrous. If you want a good draw select the lighter green younger leaves at the top.

I approach cooking this soup as you would Ila Asepo. Started with cooking the meats, adding smoked fish, pepper, iru (locust beans) and lastly the sliced leaves. This soup can be eaten with rice or swallows. Simple and delicious

Recipe

Ingredients

• Okra leaves (a bunch of young leaves)
• Rich meat stock
• Assortment of cooked meats
• Assortment of smoked fish
• *Fresh prawns (optional)
• Stock fish flakes
• Crayfish powder
• Blitzed peppers
• Iru (locust beans)
• Palm oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure

• Pick okra leaves without the stems. Wash under running water, slice thinly.
• In a clean pot on medium heat, bring the stock to a boil, add blitzed peppers, cooked meats, cleaned assortment of smoked fish, stockfish flakes, crayfish powder, palm oil.
• Allow all to cook well till the liquid reduces down considerably.
• If cooking with fresh prawns or shrimp add and cook for 3 mins before adding vegetables.
• Add iru and thinly sliced leaves. Stir well, reduce the heat to bring the soup to a simmer.
• Cook on low heat for 3-5 minutes.
• Turn heat off and serve hot.

Enjoy with your favourite accompaniment.

Juice recommendation. Pair your meal with delicious 100% natural fresh fruit and vegetable juice from Fontaine De Vie

• Soups
• Soups, Stews and Sauces