OTONG SOUP serves 4-6

Very rich okro and vegetable soup from the South East region of Nigeria (Calabar)

IKg / 21b assorted meat (beef, oxtail, tripe, ponmo, bokoto & bushmeat)
225g / 8oz stockfish (pre-soaked)
500g / llb dry fish (thoroughly washed)
450g/llb periwinkles
225g / 8oz whole dry prawns (cleaned)
225g / 8oz ground crayfish
225g / 8oz ground pepper
I medium onion
lkg/21b ugwu/pumpkin leaves (washed & shredded
450g / llb fresh okro (sliced and pounded)
6oz Etinkirin /Uzouza leaves (shredded optional)
200mlpalm oil
2pt stock
salt to taste

Wash the meat thoroughly and place in a large pot. Add some sliced onions, ground chillies and some stock. Place on heat and cook for 30 minutes. Wash the smoked dry fish with salt and soak in boiling salted water for 5 minutes to kill any insect and loosen any sand or girt. Rinse thorough with lots of cold water.

Add the stockfish, dry fish, dry prawns and periwinkles to the meat and cook for a further 10minutes add more stock and bring to the boil. Finally add the shredded ugwu/pumpkin leave and pounded okro. Mix in properly. Allow to simmer for 15minutes, add the crayfish, palm-oil and etinkirin leaves.
Give it a good stir and allow the soup to bubble for another 10 minutes until well blended and the aroma fills the kitchen. Remove from heat and serve hot with fufu or Anyang Ekpang.

Courtesy of Laura Edet