How To Easily Prepare Nigerian Afang Soup

Afang soup! Okazi leaves and waterleaf are used to make this tasty, substantial, and filling soup. In Nigeria, it is commonly eaten with pounded yam and is best served warmly. Here’s my recipe for Nigerian Afang soup.

What can I say about this gorgeous, tasty, and substantial Nigerian soup other than that if you have never tried Afang soup, you should try it. Afang soup is nutrient-dense and full of essential vitamins and minerals. 

If you are on a diet and are unsure whether you can eat Nigerian soups due to the oil content, then this Afang soup recipe is for you. In that scenario, all you need to do is cut back on the amount of palm oil you use in your cooking. If you cook with goat meat or any other meat, simply lower your beef intake and everything will be fine for you and your diet.

I am a Yoruba girl, yet this soup easily outperforms some of our soups, and the best part is that it is incredibly simple to prepare. I am from the southern Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom. 

If you’ve ever tried Edikang Ikong soup, you’ll understand where I’m coming from with this recipe. Thumbs up to everyone who has made Afang soup and tasted its deliciousness.

Pregnancy and Afang Soup

Because Afang leaves are high in folic acid and vitamin A, they are considered safe and nutritious for pregnant women and their unborn children. Folic acid is critical during the first trimester of any pregnancy. While you can acquire them at the drugstore, I’m sure you’d prefer them in soups. 

So let’s prepare a nice pot of Afang soup; the ingredients listed below would make enough soup to serve 6 people twice. Leftovers can always be refrigerated. 

Most people say that vegetable soups are difficult to make, owing to the time required to harvest and slice fresh leaves. But after you get through it, everything else is chocolate! I also don’t eat chocolate.

Freshwater leaves, sliced (1kg) 1/2 cup crayfish ground Ukazi leaves, freshly ground (200g) 3 knorr cubes (sweetener) 1 head of stock fish (medium size) 2 dried or roasted medium-sized fish 1.5 quarts palm oil Snails 1 cup Periwinkles (optional) (optional) Season with salt and pepper to taste (red fresh pepper) Ponmo (Optional) (Optional) 1-2kg of your preferred meat

What Is Afang Soup?

According to Wikipedia, Afang soup is a vegetable soup popular among the Efik people of Cross River State and the Ibibio people of Akwa Ibom in southern Nigeria. It is a popular dish in Nigeria and other regions of Africa. It is especially popular among Akwa Ibom and Cross River state’s Ibibio and Anang people, who have adopted this dish as part of their cultural identity. It is usually offered at home and occasionally at events such as weddings, burials, and festivals in Nigeria’s southern region. Afang soup is very nutritious, and the cost of preparation may be adjusted to meet the demands of the family.

Ingredients

• Okazi leaves
• Water leaves substituted with baby spinach
• Cow foot (a few pieces)
• Goat meat
• Smoked ponmo
• Dried Catfish fillets or any other smoked fish
• Salt
• Seasoning (bouillon cubes)
• Scotch bonnet pepper (Ata Rodo)
• Palm oil
• Periwinkles (optional)

How To Prepare Nigerian Afang Soup

Okazi leaf (Afang leaves) is powerful and chewable, which is probably why it is crushed before use. Instead of pounding it, I pulsed it in my food processor to break it down a little. Bring to a boil for about 15 minutes before using.

Chop the spinach, rinse it, and set it aside.

The smoked ponmo and dried catfish fillets I added to the goat meat was the nicest part of this dish for me. The scent emanating from my kitchen was indescribable.

Heat a pan over medium heat, add washed goat meat, salt, seasoning, and onions, and cook until tender. When the meat is almost done, add the chopped ponmo and dried catfish and return to a boil for a few minutes. 

Afang soup does not require a lot of water to cook, so if your stock is large, cut it in half and add more to the soup as needed.

Set aside the pepper, which has been chopped or pound.

Once you’re satisfied with the tenderness of the meat, ponmo, and dried fish, add the palm oil and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes.

Cook for another 3-5 minutes on medium-low heat with chopped ata rodo (pepper), ground crayfish, and periwinkles (if using).

After that, add the okazi leaves to the sauce and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, but you may not need it if the stock is well-seasoned and the flavors of the smoked catfish and ponmo have permeated the soup.

You may not need to cook for as long if you have pounded the okazi. OKAZI LEAF IS STRONG AND CHEWABLE, yet it must be tender in order to be relished. To be honest, even after blending mine, I still found it a little chewy, but I loved every bite of it.

Traditionally, water leaves are added to the soup before okazi leaves, but I found okazi leaves to be harsh and chewy, so I cooked it differently.

Cook for another 5 minutes after adding the spinach to the okazi soup.

That’s all there is to Afang soup. Enjoy with your preferred swallow.