Alek Wek's Okra Soup

Ingredients

• 20 pieces okra
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tomatoes (blanched and peeled, optional), chopped
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 vegetable or chicken bouillon cube
• 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks

4 servings for models — or 2 for hungry mortals

Preparation

1. Chop off the ends of the okra and thinly slice the pods crosswise into small rounds.
2. Heat the oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until they start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the tomatoes and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
3. When the tomato juices start to boil, add 1/2 cup water. Heat to boiling, stirring, and add the bouillon cube. Stir and mash it until it dissolves. Add 1 1/2 cups water and heat to boiling. Add the okra and cinnamon sticks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the okra seeds turn brown, about 10 minutes. Add more water if the soup becomes too thick. The total cooking time should be about 20 to 25 minutes.

30 minutes