Okra Pepper Soup | Igbagbafofo

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This is an authentic Delta Okra Pepper soup also known locally by Deltans as igbagbafofo. It is another way to make a delicious pepper soup that could be eaten with eba. It is very budget friendly. Pepper soup is generally a healthy soup but the addition of okra takes it to another level of healthy and deliciousness.

• Soak dried fish in hot water  for about 10 minutes. Then with a sponge or brush, scrub the fish to remove every dirt and grime,then rinse with clean water. Use only water and sponge (do NOT use soapy water or sponge). You could debone the fish if you want.
• Wash and cut okra to little pieces.
• Pour 6 cups water in a pot, add tiko, snails, shrimps, crayfish aiden fruit, dried pepper  with salt and 1 seasoning cube, cover to cook. Cooking the tiko ( dried meat) at the beginning re-hydrate and soften the meat
• Remove the seeds from the grain of selim and toss the seeds. The seeds are very bitter. Blend the skin of the grains of selim with crayfish and shrimps and add to the soup. Add 1 tsp ground calabash nutmeg.
• Add the native salt to the soup so the it can start dissolving. Native salt is actually salt, so you might not need to add more salt. It also gives the soup a unique flavor.
• Add the dried fish to the soup. The fish is cooked so it does not require a longer cooking time. It just needs to absorb and infuse flavor. Add 2 seasoning cube.
• Add chopped okra and for cook for about 5 minutes and it is done. Okra does not need to cook for too long. Taste to check for salt. Add  salt and pepper to your taste.

Ingredients 

3 lbs Okra 

2 -3 Dried fish 

10 pieces Tiko (dried meat)

8 pieces Snail 

Dried ground pepper 

1 cup Dried shrimp 

1/2 cup Crayfish 

4 Grains of selim/Negro pepper 

1 tsp ground calabash nutmeg 

3-4 pieces Aiden fruit 

Native salt (Other options are potash and or table salt) 

Seasoning cubes

Salt