Go Back
–+ servings
Soup in a silver bowl with a lid, a kitchen cloth, two slices of bread, a lemon wedge and a spoon.

Okra Soup (Bey's Soup, Begova Čorba)

Aida
Begova čorba is a traditional Bosnian soup known for its creamy texture, prepared with chicken and okra as key ingredients.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Soups & Stews
Cuisine Bosnian
Servings 4
Calories 760 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Broth Ingredients

  • 1-2 chicken pieces large, a leg and a thigh together, or a thick chicken breast, avoid wings
  • 1 onion yellow or white, medium-sized, peeled and halved, for the broth
  • 2 carrots large, peeled, and halved
  • 2 ounces celery root about ⅙ of the whole root, peeled, or 2-3 celery sticks
  • 1 bunch parsley for broth, set aside a little for garnish
  • 2 potatoes medium-sized, Russett or Yukon Gold, (avoid young, new, or fingerling), peeled, quartered

Okra

  • 1-3 ounces okra (fresh or frozen) the amount of okra is completely up to you; use a little less if using dried okra
  • ½ lemon juice only
  • (Optional) 4-5 tablespoons vinegar instead of lemon

Seasonings

  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons stock powder or bouillon cube or 2 teaspoons of Vegeta (adjust volume needed for 2 quarts of water)

Roux or Thickener

  • 2-3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 egg yolk
  • (Optional) 2-3 tablespoons butter

Serving

  • (Optional) sour cream
  • (Optional) lemon wedges

Instructions
 

Making the Broth

  • In a large pot, combine chicken, carrots, onion, celery, and parsley with about 2 quarts (2 liters) of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium. Cook for a total of 30 minutes for now.

"De-Sliming" the Okra (Parallel to Making the Broth)

  • Place okra in a bowl. (If using dried okra, leave it on the string.) Cover with boiling water and lemon juice (or vinegar). Leave to soak for about 30 minutes. Strain (and take off the string, if using dried okra).

Adding More Ingredients

  • Add the potatoes, soaked and strained okra (only if using dry okra, if using fresh, you'll add it later), bay leaf, and seasonings to the broth. Cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until potato is fork tender.

Taking Ingredients Out

  • Take the potatoes, carrots, chicken, bay leaf, parsley, celery, and onion out of the broth, together with 1-3 cups of broth. (Leave okra in if using dried. If using fresh okra, this is the time to add it to the broth.) Discard onion and bay leaf. Dice one carrot, discard the chicken skin, and then shred the chicken meat. Set it aside with the diced carrot.

Blending the Broth

  • In a blender (or in a bowl, using a stick blender), blend potatoes, celery root (if using it, if using sticks, blend only 1 celery stick), and the remaining carrot with 1-2 cups of broth (or hot water). Return to the broth and stir vigorously so the liquid congeals together. (If the potatoes are "elasticky" pour the blended portion into the soup through a strainer to avoid crumbs. Use a spoon to push the liquid through the strainer.)

Making the Foux-Roux

  • In a bowl mix flour with the egg yolk and 1-2 cups of broth (or hot water) until it's completely smooth. Return to the broth and stir vigorously so the liquid congeals together. (If needed, pour it into the broth using a strainer to avoid crumbs.)

(Alternative Roux)

  • Alternatively, you can make a classic roux by melting butter and then adding flour (2-3 tablespoons each), and vigorously stirring on low heat until they integrate. Then pour it into the broth. After, mix egg yolk with 2-3 tablespoons sour cream and add to the broth as well.

Finishing the Soup Off

  • Return the chicken and carrots to the broth. Adjust seasonings if needed. If overly thick, thin the broth out slightly with hot water or broth. (You can play around with the thickness of the soup based on your preference.) Turn the heat off and garnish with parsley.

Serving

  • Serve okra soup warm or hot with a few slices of homemade bread, or local dough balls called lokumi. Some add sour cream, or a squeeze of lemon juice Store in the fridge in a closed container for up to 48 hours. Reheat based on your preferred method. Reheat only as much as you plan to eat. The best option is to warm it up on the stovetop, on low heat, until it heats up.

Notes

  • Expert Tips: 
How much okra should I use? This is completely up to you. Some people like just to "accent" the soup with okra, while others prefer most of the soup to be okra. We like the sweet spot of 50-100g dry okra (or 1 ounce fresh okra). As you make the soup a few times (and you will once you try it!), you'll find just how much okra you prefer. 
Potatoes are too sticky (waxy) after blending! Add more hot water to the blender, and blend the potatoes and the carrot a little longer. Then, when you transfer the blended portion to the broth, do it through a strainer. Use a spoon to "push" the potatoes through.
Ugh, that okra slime! If you've soaked the okra in lemon juice or vinegar, it should be slime-free. Another way to do it is to boil it at a low temperature in lemon juice or vinegar on low for 15 minutes.
My soup is too thick! Add hot water or chicken broth to thin it out. Adjust seasonings as needed. 
My soup is too thin! Mix more flour and broth separately, and then add to the broth.
Is blending traditional for this soup? This can be a point of contention, but the more recent versions of the soup usually are blended because it adds a creamier, and thicker aspect to the soup. You can skip it, and in this case, you don't have to use potatoes for the soup at all. 

Nutrition

Sodium: 7662mgCalcium: 337mgSugar: 5.8gFiber: 13.6gPotassium: 1031mgCholesterol: 353mgCalories: 760kcalSaturated Fat: 4.2gFat: 13.4gProtein: 36.5gCarbohydrates: 125.5gIron: 16mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!