Okra or Okro soup is prepared using the edible green seed pods of the

okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

flowering plant as a primary ingredient. Other vegetables can be added to the soup as well, such as

ewedu ''Corchorus'' is a genus of about 40–100 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. Different common names are used in different contexts, with jute applying to the fi ...

, kerenkere, or Ugu leaf. Depending on the specific variant being prepared, okra soup can have a clear broth or be deep green in colour, much like the okra plant itself. Okra (and, by extension, okra soup) can have a slippery or "slimy"

mouthfeel Mouthfeel refers to the physical sensations in the mouth caused by food or drink, making it distinct from taste. It is a fundamental sensory attribute which, along with taste and smell, determines the overall flavor of a food item. Mouthfeel ...

. The edible green seed pods can also be used in other stews and soups, such as the American dish

gumbo Gumbo (Louisiana Creole: Gombo) is a soup popular in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the official state cuisine. Gumbo consists primarily of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish (or sometimes both), a thickener, and the Creole "h ...

Nigeria

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, okra soup is a delicacy and is popular amongst

Yorubas The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

Igbos The Igbo people ( , ; also spelled Ibo" and formerly also ''Iboe'', ''Ebo'', ''Eboe'', * * * ''Eboans'', ''Heebo''; natively ) are an ethnic group in Nigeria. They are primarily found in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. A siz ...

, Efiks, Hausas, and other Nigerian ethnic groups. In

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

, it is referred to as ''obe lla'' .

China

Chinese okra soup is a "country style dish often served at family meals". Chinese okra differs significantly from the varieties of okra commonly available in the West.

Indonesia

In Indonesian cuisine, okra soup is called ''sayur oyong''. It is usually served in clear chicken broth with

rice vermicelli Rice vermicelli is a thin form of noodle. It is sometimes referred to as 'rice noodles' or 'rice sticks', but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch rathe ...

(''bihun'') or mung bean vermicelli (''sohun''), with slices of ''

bakso Bakso or baso is an Indonesian meatball, or a meat paste made from beef surimi. Its texture is similar to the Chinese beef ball, fish ball, or pork ball. The word ''bakso'' may refer to a single meatball or the complete dish of meatball soup. '' ...

'' (ground beef surimi).

Japan

Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and oth ...

, okra and are usually used as an addition or variation to

miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a dashi stock into which softened miso paste is mixed. In addition, there are many optional ingredients (various vegetables, tofu, '' abura-age'', etc.) that may be added depending on regional a ...

United States

In the United States, the first recipe for okra soup was published in 1824 in the book ''The Virginia Housewife''. After this initial publication, okra soup was commonly included in American cookbooks. In the late 1800s, okra soup recipes were commonly published in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

''. American okra soup can be prepared using canned, frozen, or fresh okra. It is a traditional soup in

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...

and Charleston, South Carolina.

Gallery

Star of David okra - Soup Star.jpg, okra - Soup Miso soup with okra and nagaimo by yomi955.jpg, Miso soup with okra and nagaimo OKRA SOUP "ofe araga in my local name ".jpg, Nigerian ''ofe araga'' okra soup Okro Soup.jpg, Okro Soup

References

External links

Video: Nigerian Okra SoupVideo: Nigerian Okra Soup with Fresh Fish & Assorted MeatEasy Nigerian Okra Soup Recipe
{{Soups Vegetable soups Igbo cuisine African soups Vegetable dishes of Indonesia Yoruba cuisine Okra dishes