Okra is a popular vegetable which originated from present-day Ethiopia in Africa. Stewed African Okra Soup is made with peanut butter, tomatoes, corn and spices to create a flavorful filling soup the entire family will love.
Stewed African Peanut Butter Okra Stew
African recipes by African Gourmet
Get this easy-to-follow Stewed African Peanut Butter Okra side-dish from the African Gourmet. Okra is a popular vegetable which originated from present-day Ethiopia in Africa.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
2
cups of fresh or frozen okra
3
ripe tomatoes, chopped
1
cup canned whole kernel corn
1
medium onion, chopped
1
bunch green onions, chopped
2
tablespoons palm oil
½
teaspoon red pepper flake
1
tablespoon peanut butter
¼
teaspoon salt
1
teaspoon sugar
2
cups vegetable broth or water
Directions
In
a large pot over medium heat, sauté palm oil and onions until the onions become
translucent, about 2 minutes. Add green onions and mix well. Add tomatoes and
dry seasonings. Cook about 10 minutes. Add okra, corn, peanut butter and broth,
cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Serve over rice or as a side dish.
How do you cook okra?
Young okra seed pods
are eaten steamed or boiled, as a vegetable or in stews and curries. Seeds from
mature pods must be cooked to make them safe to eat, and then pounded into a
paste rich in protein. Use okra leaves to flavor stews and soup. The fruit and
leaves can be put into stews and soup. Okra can be fried using cornmeal, eggs,
fresh okra and spices fried in vegetable oil until golden brown. Okra and tomatoes
are in season at the same time and the acidity in tomatoes counteracts the
sliminess of okra. Gumbo is a famous New Orleans dish using okra as the main
ingredient. Just remember, when preparing, remember that the more it is cut,
the slimier it will become.
Are there different
varieties of okra?
Okra is also called
bhindi, gumbo and lady's finger. Some of its cousins are also food: the
cassava-like leaves of a West African variety (A. manihot), the aromatic seeds
of another East African variety (A. moschatus), and the succulent fruit and
sour leaves of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). Popular okra varieties in the
United States are the Clemson variety dark green with angular pods. This okra
takes less than two months to mature. Emerald type is dark green, with smooth
round pods. Lee is a spineless type known by its deep bright green, very
straight angular pods. Annie Oakley is a hybrid, spineless kind of okra with
bright green, angular pods. It takes less than two months from seeding to
maturity. Chinese okra is dark green in color and reaches 10 to 13 inches in
length. These extra-long okra pods are sometimes called ladyfingers. Purple okra
a rare variety you may see at peak times. They are all grown in the same way.
Are okra and cotton
plants related?
Yes, they are, as a
member of the Malvaceae or Mallow family, okra is related to cotton, cocoa, and
hibiscus plants. Other related plants are the marshmallow, African-queen, fan leaf,
wild hollyhock, checkerbloom and wissadula. Another interesting fact about okra is the ripe seeds of okra are sometimes roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee.
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