Okra soup has been at the center of tables for years.

The “Okra Soup,” an essential dish of Konya cuisine that has developed from palace tables to the present day, has maintained its place in the center of tables during special occasions for years.

Made with flower okra and lamb meat, “Okra Soup” has been served in special meals from the palace cuisine to the present day. Instead of being served at the beginning of the meal, “Okra Soup” is served in the middle of the table and is consumed by the people of Konya for its appetite-boosting properties, richness in vitamins, and its hearty nature. The soup has also gained the appreciation of tourists visiting Konya, and it was registered as a geographical indication following the application made by the Konya Metropolitan Municipality to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office in 2021.

“Okra soup is made from flower okra in Konya”
Chef Mehmet Alakır, who has been preparing wedding meals for 22 years, expressed that okra soup is essential in Konya. He stated, “Okra soup is one of Konya’s rare dishes with geographical indication, adorning our tables. It is known as a soup consumed during our special occasions; during our holidays, weddings, funeral meals, and invitations. Okra soup is made with flower okra in Konya. Other types of okra are not used. The meat in the okra soup is definitely lamb meat. Onions are plentiful.”

“The indispensable feature of okra soup is its sourness”
Alakır explained the recipe for okra soup: “Flower okras are first crushed. The reason for this is to separate them into small pieces and make them grainy. The okras are then steamed. The steamed okras are boiled and separated from their strings. Meanwhile, lamb meat is sautéed. Onions and tomato paste are added to the meat. Then water is added. Until the meat is cooked, okra, onions, and tomato paste blend in the water. The greatest characteristic of okra is that it is eaten sour. We prepare the sourness ourselves. When we add it, it becomes filling and appetite-boosting. The indispensable feature of okra soup is its sourness. Citric acid is a must.”

“Tourists love it more as they eat more”
Alakır noted that those visiting Konya often find the okra soup sour when they first try it but eventually come to love it, stating, “When tourists first taste the okra soup, their faces may scrunch up. But then, as they eat more, they love it even more. Before they leave, they definitely drink it once more. The place of okra soup is always in the center of the table. As people from Konya, we usually drink yogurt soup first, eat meat rice and dessert, and then have okra soup to boost our appetite to eat a little more. After okra soup, you can eat as much as you want.”

“1 kilogram of flower okra currently sells for 2000 lira”
Addressing the prices of okra soup, Alakır stated, “In Konya, a bowl of okra soup ranges from 150 lira to 250 lira. The reason for these high prices is due to the high price of okra and the long effort required. The okras are very small and must be threaded between 5 and 7 in the morning. If this process goes beyond 7, that okra becomes culinary okra, not soup okra. Currently, 1 kilogram of flower okra is sold for 2000 lira.”