How to make Seafood Okra (8 Easy Steps)

Where are the seafood lovers? Seafood lovers, I grew up not wanting to try the seafood people are so excited about. I cannot exactly say why I do not like them, maybe the smell or the freshness but I regret forming that habit as a child because right now it makes it difficult to want to try them.

Seafood Okra Soup gives you the chance to add all the possible seafoods: fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, lobster etc to your Nigerian soup. This sweet Okra Soup is loved by everyone including those on a keto diet. Just serve it with fufu.

Seafood Okra Soup Ingredients

These ingredients are used to prepare a medium pot of Seafood Okra Soup. You can as well  add your favourite seafoods as listed above.

• 30 okra fingers
• 2 medium fish
• 2 cups shrimps
• 500g beef
• ¼ cup red palm oil
• 2 handfulls ugu or spinach
• 1 sweet pepper
• 1 red onion
• Habanero peppers (to your taste)
• 4 small seasoning cubes
• Salt (to your taste)

Notes on the Seafood Okra Soup Ingredients

You must note this about the seafood ingredients before cooking, so you do not make a mistake whike cooking. I know you have a lot of washing and cleaning to do but trust me, its so simple to make.

1. I used 1 gilt head sea bream fish and 1 red sea bream fish. Other fish you can use are mackerel, croaker fish, catfish or tilapia.
2. The sweet pepper is fresh paprika and it serves to add some appetizing colour to the soup. You can skip it if you wish. Or replace with Nigerian tatashe peppers.
3. I do not add crayfish to Seafood Okra Soup because everything needs to be fresh. The shrimps (or prawns if you add them) are technically fresh versions of crayfish.

Before you prepare Seafood Okra Soup

1. Properly scrub and clean the crab claws if you’re using any as the shells harbor all sorts of dirt. I scrubbed mine with a little kitchen brush. also, remember to devein your prawns and clean them up. Then, marinate all the seafood and fish. To marinate the crab claws, crack the shells in one of two places, this is so the marinade can penetrate into the meat, clean the fish, some fishmongers can do this for you in the market. Then cut them into sizeable pieces, see video below.
2. Shell and de-vein the shrimps. See the video below.
3. Hand cut or grate the okra.
4. Chop the peppers. I prefer chopping so they are still visible in the soup. You can blend or pound them in the mortar.
5. Chop the spinach. These days, I prefer tearing them up with my fingers. If they are small baby spinach, I add them like that.
6. Dice the onions.

Directions for making the Seafood Okra Soup

This is a simple step by step process of making your seafood okra, just follow the steps and be sure to make a delicious soup.

1. Cook the beef with the stock cubes and half of the diced onions.
2. When done, remove the beef and add the fish. Cook for 5 minutes, at most 7 minutes so it does not disintegrate then gently take them out.
3. Add the shrimps and cook for 5 minutes and take them out.
4. In a different pot, add the red palm oil, once it heats up, add the remaining onions, fry for a bit.
5. Add the okra and fry till it heats up all over.
6. Start adding the stock bit by bit and stir very well to activate the elasticity of the okra.
7. When all the stock have been added, add the peppers and the spinach. Cover and cook for 1 minute maximum.
8. Add the fish and shrimps, add salt of necessary and stir very well.