One of Sub-Saharan Africa's traditional Christmas dishes is okra soup.
In Arabic, okra is the name given to the tasty little fluted courgettes found at every market stall, which the English call 'Lady's fingers', while in Swahili everyone knows it as 'mabenda'.
The okra, as well as having benefits for the stomach and intestines, is tasty even if it is advisable to take a precaution before cooking it, as it is very viscous inside because of its seeds: cut off the ends just enough to let the gel inside come out and purge them further for at least an hour in water and vinegar (or lemon).
And now the Christmas recipe from the Kenyan coast: Okra soup and prawns.
To make it more tasty and "pan-African", we at malindikenya.net have added small modifications that are also used in other nations and cultures in equatorial Africa.
For example, ground pumpkin seeds can be added for flavour and as a thickening agent (and this is recommended in any local soup), as well as some chopped spinach leaves.
It is recommended that the soup be served with the classic ugali (white cornmeal porridge) or even basmati rice.
Ingredients for 4 people
Half a kilo of okra.
300 grams of shelled prawns
A tablespoon of seed oil (or olive oil)
Half an onion, finely chopped
One ripe tomato
Three tablespoons of the "fumetto" from boiled shrimp heads
A few chopped spinach leaves (six or seven leaves if spinach)
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of pepper flakes (preferably red)
Half a cup of ground pumpkin seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

After draining the okra, blanch it in a little water for five minutes and then save the water.
Then remove the tops and tails well, cut half of it into two-centimetre cylinders, and chop up the rest with a sharp knife.
Fry the onion, oil, salt and pepper. Add the diced tomato, the spoons of stock and finally the okra.
Cover the pan for five minutes, cooking over a low heat.
Add the prawns, spinach, pumpkin seeds, paprika and pepper, with a few ladles of okra water.
Cook for another five minutes and finally stir for another couple of minutes.

Enjoy your meal and have a happy African Christmas!