Recipe
🍽️ DINNER
Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew)
A silky, velvety stew of meat thickened with sun-dried okra powder, one of Sudan's most beloved traditional dishes.
Sudanese · easy · serves 4
prep 10 min · cook 60 min
~400 cal · 30g protein · 6g carbs · 27g fat · 2g fiber · 2g sugars · 8g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Mullah waika is one of Sudan's most soulful stews, its name telling you exactly what it is: mullah means a slow-cooked stew, and waika is sun-dried ground to a fine powder, a centuries-old preservation trick born of the Sudanese sun. Whisked into a meat broth, the powder turns the pot thick, glossy and faintly slippery.
The waika is added slowly and stirred without pause, the way Sudanese cooks coax it into a smooth, silky texture rather than a lumpy one, and a clay pot is prized for the depth it gives. The seasoning is restrained, coriander, pepper, a little chili, letting the earthy and slow-cooked meat lead.
It is served with , the thin flatbread torn and used to scoop, or with rice, a taste of rural Sudanese kitchens.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, dairy-, nut-, egg- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
1 lb lamb or beef, bone-in
1/2 cup dried powder (waika)
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried chili
Instructions
1
Soften the onion in the oil until golden, then add the meat (or mushrooms) and brown it lightly.
2
Stir in the coriander, black pepper and chili and let them bloom, then pour in water to cover and simmer until the meat is nearly tender.
3
When the meat is half done, whisk the waika powder into a little water first, then stir it into the pot gradually to keep it smooth.
✎ Chef’s note
Add the dried okra slowly and never stop stirring. Dumped in at once it clumps, and the stew should be silky.
4
Simmer 30 to 45 minutes more, stirring, until the stew is thick, glossy and cohesive. Season to taste.
5
Serve with kisra or rice.
Khartoum home cooking.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Khartoum. The general word for these stews is mullah, and the dried okra version is seasoned with ni'aimiya. Sorghum does the other half of the work: fermented and spread thin on a hot plate it becomes kisra, and cooked stiff it becomes asida, a plain pudding that the stew gets poured over.
🗺️
Sudan. Sudanese ful is dressed differently from the Egyptian version: sesame oil poured over rather than olive oil, crumbled white cheese on top, and the beans mashed only partly. Sesame is a major Sudanese crop, which is why its oil rather than another turns up at breakfast. Karkade, hibiscus steeped and cooled, is the drink alongside.
🌍
Africa. Much of what reads as timeless African cooking is younger than the Atlantic crossings. Maize, cassava, groundnut, chilli and tomato all arrived from the Americas after 1500 and pushed older crops aside; millet, sorghum, teff, yam and fonio are the ones that were already here, and the map still shows the join.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Sudan
Bamia (Sudanese Okra Stew)Tender lamb and okra simmered in a garlicky tomato broth spiced with black lime, Sudan’s everyday comfort, scooped with kisra.
GurasaA thick, soft Sudanese griddle pancake eaten with a stew or with sugar and ghee for breakfast.
ShaiyahStrips of lamb quickly fried with onion, peppers, and spices, a popular Sudanese meat dish for gatherings.
Browse all Sudan recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Pot or saucepan, Whisk.
Storing it: Stews and braises keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated and often taste better the next day. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Make it a Sudan meal
Jabana (Sudanese Spiced Coffee)Drink
Basbousa (Semolina Cake in Syrup)Dessert
ShaiyahLunch
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Frequently asked questions
What is Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew)?
A silky, velvety stew of meat thickened with sun-dried okra powder, one of Sudan's most beloved traditional dishes.
Where does Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew) come from?
Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew) is a Sudanese dish from Khartoum, Sudan.
Can Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew) be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew) recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew) safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Mullah Waika (Dried Okra Stew) take to make?
About 70 minutes total (10 minutes prep, 60 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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