Afang soup is a favourite soup recipe of many on the shores of Africa. The fusion of spices makes it tasty and appetising. You’ll appreciate this traditional meal because almost everyone can cook it because of its simplicity in preparation. It takes just 30 minutes to cook.
Afang soup is both beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. It is a speciality of Nigeria’s Efik and Ibibio tribes. This delicacy is also popular in sections of Cameroon that border Nigeria. The soup can be made with various types of meat and fish, but the most popular choice is Akpu or Cat Fish. Traditionally, afang was prepared during times of festivities and celebrations. Ingredients are those I use when serving the soup
Afang soup is both beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. It is a speciality of Nigeria’s Efik and Ibibio tribes. This delicacy is also popular in sections of Cameroon that border Nigeria.
Afang Soup is a soup that is high in meats, veggies, and palm oil. If you are allergic to palm oil, this soup might not be for you. Some people make this without oil, but I can’t make this soup without oil haha. In this recipe, the oil is the real stuff. I am confident that the dish’s creators will agree with me? Most vegetable soups, such as Afang and Edikang ikong, benefit from the oil. After tasting Afang with oil. I doubt you’ll be able to persuade me to leave out the oil in this recipe.
The original creators of Afang soup likes to add a lot of seafood to afang, but I’m not a big fan of seafood, so I’d keep to the few I generally include in my soups, which are stockfish and dry fish. Periwinkles with shells are one seafood I’m not going to include in this recipe. As much as I enjoy it myself, I appreciate seeing how others enjoy it. I’m unable to consume it. It’s entertaining to watch because the ‘periwinkles eating’ has a distinct manner.
WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF AFANG SOUP?
Afang soup is prepared from afang (okazi in Igbo) and waterleaves. It resembles Edikang ikong. Because edikang ikong soup is typically made with water leaves and Ugu, afang soup is produced with okazi and waterleaf vegetables.
Because the type of water leaves used for afang soup in Nigeria is not widely available here, I will use frozen spinach. My beloved mommy has washed, pounded, and frozen the okazi leaves for me. I’m curious what I would have substituted if I didn’t have okazi leaves. Mom, may God bless you. She always makes sure I have okazi ground in the freezer. And God bless my mother-in-law, who generally looks after my Ugba collection lol. These ladies know how much I enjoy being in the kitchen, tea!
Anyway, let’s get started. But first, tell us how you make your veggie soups in Diaspora. What are your favourite vegetable alternatives? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Afang soup can be consumed with any swallow, but the best I’ve heard is fufu, which is the traditional swallow. Where are my Ibibio and Efik friends? We need your help here, please.
INGREDIENTS
4-6 cups Meat Stock (Add more water as needed)
cup crayfish ground
teaspoon Cameroon pepper
sliced big onions
Pre-cooked beef or roasted turkey
350 g cooked cow feethttps://grainfieldfoods.com/product/stock-fish/
350 g pre-cooked stockfish
2 cups cooked frozen shrimp (optional)
500 g ground okazi 907 g frozen spinach
2 tsp. Bouillon powder (adjust to taste)
12 teaspoons of salt (adjust to taste)
2 dried fish chunks, cleaned and deboned (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Making Use of Precooked Meats
Crayfish and Cameroon pepper should be added to the meat stock. Bring the meat stock to a boil*, then add the ground okazi and simmer on medium-low.
Heat the oil in a separate pot and sauté the chopped onions for approximately a minute to unleash their flavour.
Pour in the sautéed onions with oil, followed by the shrimp, stockfish, dry fish, and other pre-cooked meats. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Finally, add the spinach and stir to combine before lowering the heat to boil for another 2 minutes before turning off the heat.
Serve with your preferred swallow.
When using uncooked meats
In a saucepan, combine various meats. Season with salt and bouillon. Bring to a boil with just enough water to cover the meats.
When the meats begin to boil, add the crayfish and pepper and continue to cook until the meat is nearly done.
Stir in the ground okazi and oil with the sautéed onions to the meats, then season to taste. Adjust to your liking.
Mix in the spinach. Stir in and cook for about 2 minutes on low heat. Then remove from heat and serve.
I normally prepare the meats for my soups and stews a day or up to a week ahead of time. I save a lot of time that way on the day I make the soup. The meat stock is also prepared ahead of time.
If you don’t have pre-cooked meats, simply cook the meats before proceeding with the instructions mentioned above.
Sautéing the onions is optional, although it enriches the flavour of the soup. If using fresh pepper, cut it up and sauté it in palm oil with the onions.
For the precooked meats option, the amount of salt and bouillon powder (Maggi or Knorr powder) is a guideline that you will need to adapt to your taste, keeping in mind that the meat stock already contains some.
If you prepare your meat from scratch, the quantity will need to be increased as well. Allow your taste buds to lead you.
Afang soup is a must-try for everyone. It is both beautiful to look at and delicious to eat.
It is said that the soup has healing properties and can cure diseases like fever, cough, colds and even the common cold.
The ingredients are easily available in the market and easy to prepare. All you have to do is follow the instructions given above. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. Have you prepared Afang soup before? what was the experience?