West African Seafood Okra Soup
Okra, crab and fish in a palm-oil broth, served with swallow. Estimated preparation cost: ₦18,000–₦24,000 for four servings.
- Estimated cooking cost
- ₦18,000–₦24,000
- Servings
- 4
- Preparation & cooking
- 45–60 minutes
Crab claws, fish, okra and a white swallow are visible in this photograph. Seafood-rich okra soups appear across West Africa; this suggested version uses fresh crab and fish without claiming a specific original regional recipe.
Ingredients for four: 500 g okra, 2 medium cleaned crabs, 500 g fish, 1 onion, 2 red peppers, hot pepper to taste, 3 tablespoons palm oil, 1 tablespoon ground crayfish, salt, seasoning and 400 g semolina for an optional swallow. This dish contains fish and shellfish allergens.
Preparation — 45–60 minutes: wash and chop the okra, clean the crab and fish carefully, and blend or chop the peppers and onion. Bring the pepper mixture, palm oil, seasoning and a little water to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the crab and fish and simmer until the seafood is fully cooked; fish should reach 63°C and crab meat should be opaque. Fold in the okra and crayfish for the final 5–8 minutes. Stir gently so the fish does not break up and remove any loose shell fragments before serving.
Serve with semolina prepared according to its packet instructions. Estimated cost to prepare: ₦18,000–₦24,000 total including semolina, about ₦4,500–₦6,000 per serving. Crab availability drives the price; a fish-only version is a cheaper alternative but will differ from the photograph.
Costs are illustrative October 2026 Nigerian home-cooking budgets, not verified market quotes. They cover the ingredients used and a small cooking-fuel allowance for four servings, not equipment or full packs of pantry staples. Prices vary by location, season and protein choice. These are suggested recipes inspired by the photographs; the original recipes were not supplied.