Afang Soup is a medicinal, delicious and slightly bitter vegetable cuisine, it is native to the Efiks/Ibibios of Akwa Ibom and Cross river states in Nigeria.
It is rich in taste and flavour and prepared with a combination of two different vegetables known as afang leaves and water leaves. Afang Soup is also similar to Okazi Soup.
The only major difference is that a soup thickener is added to Okazi Soup to increase its viscosity. Below is a detailed and easy Afang Soup recipe.
Ingredients For Making Afang Soup
• 500g afang leaves (okazi/ukazi leaves)
• 1kg water leaves (lamb lettuce or spinach)
• 200g beef or assorted meat
• 1 handful shelled periwinkle
(optional)
• 2 tablespoonful ground crayfish
• 2 medium-sized dried fish
• 1 small Stock fish (optional)
• Fresh or powdered pepper to taste
• 2 big stock/seasoning cubes
• 1 small onion
• Salt to taste
• 500ml palm oil
Note: Both fresh and dry afang leaves can be used to make this soup.
Directions For Making Afang Soup
• Wash and slice the water leaves and onion then set aside. Chop the afang leaves, pound, grind or blend it and set aside. The dry leaves are tougher than the fresh ones, so make extra effort while grinding it.
• Wash the assorted meat and stock fish then place in a pot and add enough water. Add one stock cube, onions and salt to taste, then cook until its soft.
• Rinse the dried fish in hot water, remove the bones and add to the pot of cooked meat. Add the palm oil, pepper, crayfish and remaining stock cube to it then stir very well.
• Now, add the periwinkles (if you are making use of it). Cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes then add the afang leaves and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, before adding the water leaves.
• If you are making use of fresh afang leaves, let it simmer for 3 minutes. Traditionally, water leaves are added before the afang leaves, but due to the toughness of the afang leaves, you can add it first before the water leaves.
• Now, taste for salt and simmer for 2 minutes. That's it, your delicious pot of Afang Soup is ready.
• Afang Soup can be served with Eba, Pounded Yam, Semolina, Amala, Wheat meal, Tuwo Masara or any other Nigerian swallow of your choice. Enjoy!
• Please share and leave a comment below, and don't forget to give me feedback on how your Afang Soup turned out.