How to prepare banku and okro soup
Food has a way of breaking barriers of ethnicity. This is what banku and okro soup does for Ghana. This is one of the signature dishes that everyone in Ghana identifies with. There may be slight variations in how it is made but the basics remain the same. If you are interested in enjoying this sumptuous meal here is how to make it from scratch.
How to make banku and okro soup
If you are in the mood for some traditional Ghanaian meal then having a banku and okro stew recipe can come in handy. In this write-up we shall discuss the banku and okra soup dish making separately to get a step by step guide. You do not have to be an expert in cooking for you to enjoy a good homemade meal.
How to prepare banku and okro soup
There may be different banku and okro soup recipe available out there. Every chef has a secret that they keep to themselves which could be the reason behind the slight difference in the food flavoring. However, the basic process of making banku and okro soup remains the same. We start with banku
READ ALSO:Best Ghanaian dishes for supper
Banku and okra soup recipe
A. Banku
Ingredients
- Cassava flour ½ lb
- Corn flour ½ lb
- 1 table spoon of kosher salt
- 2 cups water
Procedure
1. Sift the cassava and corn flour in a mixing bowl and add 1.5 cups of water to the mixture. Mix the two flours with water using a whisk. Strain the mixture using a colander or mesh sieve with tiny perforations.
2. Transfer the flour to a saucepan or cooking pot and cook under low heat. Keep stirring until dough forms which should be in ten minutes or so.
3. Using a different pan heat the 2 cups of water with salt over medium heat to simmering point
4. Form dumplings from the dough using a spoon and cook them in the simmering water for 8 mints.
5. Set aside and serve with cooed okro soup
READ ALSO: Top 12 Delicious Ghanaian Food Recipes for Any Occasion
B. Okro Soup
Ingredients
- Beef stew meat 1lb
- 2and a half cups of beef broth
- A large egg plant/ 5 garden eggs
- Freshly ground pepper- 1 teaspoonful
- Kosher salt- 1 and a half teaspoonful
- Fresh lemon juice – half a teaspoonful
- A large beefsteak tomato
- Palm oil- 2 table spoons
- Banana peppers- 5
- Green chili peppers- 5
- A large onion
- Sliced okra- 10oz
- Dehydrate herring or shrimp-6 oz
- Grated ginger- 1 teaspoon
Method
1. Cut the beef into cubes and put in a saucepan. Add 1.5 cups of broth, salt and black pepper and leave to simmer for 30 minutes until it becomes tender.
2. Cut the eggplant or garden eggs into cubes and add some cold water. Add salt and lemon juice then leave to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the skin and scape off the seeds then puree till smooth.
3. Chop the beef steak tomato after removing the stem. Puree the tomato with green chili and banana peppers once you remove the stem and seeds. Use a food processor.
4. Heat the palm oil in a saute pan and cook the red onion until it is slightly brown. This should take about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cook for about three minutes until the liquid reduces.
5. Puree the cooked eggplant in a food processor until smooth mix the purees, a cup of beef broth, beef, dehydrated herring or shrimp and the sliced okra together with grated ginger in a saucepan.
6. Cook this mixture for 20 minute over medium heat. You can add fresh pepper and salt to season and give it better flavoring.
7. Serve with Banku
Some people choose to use different ingredients as alternatives. For instance instead of herring or shrimp some people use salmon which also works. You can also chose to add different flavorings such as maggi stock cubes. You can also add garlic and mushroom. In the end it all comes down to preference as long as the basic ingredients are present you are on your way to creating the best banku and okro stew dish.
Alternatively you can choose to have the banku with smoked fish or beef stew instead of the okro. In the event that you have no banku to go with your okro, rice also does well as an accompaniment choice. At least that is what works for most people.
Banku and okro stew images
Check out pictures of the meal as prepared by different people.
Source: YEN.com.gh
