Alek Weks Okra Soup Recipes

KARDEA'S OKRA SOUP WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• For the shrimp broth: Put the shrimp shells, carrots, celery, onions, butter, salt, bay leaf and 10 cups water in a large pot. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes, making sure to skim off and discard any impurities that rise to the top. Strain the liquid, reserving 3 cups of the broth for the okra soup. Reserve the additional broth for another use.
• For the okra soup: Heat a large gumbo pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, onions, green peppers and 1 tablespoon of the butter and saute until the vegetables soften. Next, add the corn, lima beans and Roma tomatoes and mix together. Add the canned diced tomatoes and reserved 3 cups shrimp broth, stir, cover, bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
• While the soup is simmering, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet, add the reserved shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp begin to turn pink. Add the okra, ground ginger and lemon juice, stir to mix and then cook until the okra and shrimp are cooked through.
• Once the soup has simmered for 20 minutes, add the shrimp and okra mixture to the soup. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Stir the soup, then serve over rice (or enjoy it without rice).

GRANNY'S OKRA SOUP

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, lima beans, okra, potatoes, corn, green beans, carrots, and tomato paste in a large soup pot. Pour chicken stock over mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
• Season ground beef with garlic powder, celery salt, and onion powder. Set aside.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic when butter stops bubbling; cook and stir for 1 minute. Spread ground beef evenly in the pan. Cook until it has a nice brown sear, stirring minimally to end up with mostly medium-sized chunks, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain skillet and add beef, onions, and garlic to the soup pot.
• Bring soup mixture to a boil; reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until vegetables and beef have cooked down, 1 to 2 hours.

ALEK WEK'S OKRA SOUP

Steps:

• Chop off the ends of the okra and thinly slice the pods crosswise into small rounds.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until they start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the tomatoes and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
• When the tomato juices start to boil, add 1/2 cup water. Heat to boiling, stirring, and add the bouillon cube. Stir and mash it until it dissolves. Add 1 1/2 cups water and heat to boiling. Add the okra and cinnamon sticks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the okra seeds turn brown, about 10 minutes. Add more water if the soup becomes too thick. The total cooking time should be about 20 to 25 minutes.