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| Afang Soup |
Afang soup is a tasty, nutritious Nigerian soup, native to the
Efiks/Ibibios (Akwa Ibom & Cross river states).
I tasted this soup for the first time, at a food kiosk in Akwa Ibom, during my NYSC orientation.
Even though I had to complete my primary assignment in Lagos, I made sure that I had something delicious to remind me of my stay…and that of course was this Afang Soup recipe.
This delicious soup has a slight bitter taste and is usually prepared with a combination of vegetables (Afang leaves and water leaves), assorted seafood/fish, meat and spices .
Afang soup is one of the richest and somewhat medicinal vegetable soups of the Efiks/Ibibios in Nigeria. The Igbos’ have a similar soup known as Okazi soup.
The only major difference is that a soup thickener is added to Okazi Soup to increase its viscosity(thickness), but afang soup gets its thickness from the bulk of vegetables used in preparing it.
Here’s an easy recipe to try out…Enjoy!
Below is also a video recipe on how to make afang soup
Afang Soup Ingredients
– 200 gr beef or assorted meat(cow skin, shaki(tripe), etc)
– 20 gr Smoked fish
– Stock fish (optional)
– 1 handful Shelled Periwinkle(optional because some people don’t like periwinkles)
– 2 tablespoonful ground crayfish
– 500g Afang Leaves(same as okazi/ukazi leaves)
(you can use the dry or fresh leaves)
– 1kg Water leaves(or lamb lettuce or Spinach as an alternative if you live outside Africa)
– 500 ml Palm oil
– 2 Stock cubes(maggi/knorr/onga or any one you have)
– Fresh pepper(scotch bonnet/atarodo) or ground dried pepper(to taste)
– Salt to taste
Cooking directions for Afang soup
– Slice the water leaves and set aside.
Slice Afang leaves, pound or blend it and set aside.
Tip: the dry leaves are tougher than the fresh leaves,so try to grind it as fine as you can.
– Cook the assorted meat and stock fish with chopped onions, one stock cube/seasoning cube and salt to taste. Cook until tender.
Then clean the dried fish in hot water,remove the bones and add the fish to the pot of cooked meat.
– Add the Palm oil, pepper, ground crayfish and remaining stock cube to the pot.
Mix well and then add periwinkles (if you are using any).
Cover the pot and leave to boil for about 10 minutes.
– After 10 minutes, add the Afang leaves, leave to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes and then add the water leaves.
If using fresh Afang leaves, let it simmer for 3 minutes.
Tip: it is customary to add water leaves before the afang leaves, but due to the toughness of the afang leaves, I like to add it first before the water leaves, so feel free to do it whichever way you like, the soup will still taste good.
– Add salt to taste , simmer for 2 minutes and your Afang Soup is ready..Enjoy.
Afang soup is usually served hot with Usi(starch), Eba, Pounded Yam, Fufu, Semolina, Amala, Wheat meal, Tuwo Masara or any Nigerian Bolus meal.
Other Related Recipes
* Bitter leaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu)
* Nigerian Beef Stew
* Banga Soup : Urhobo Isoko Banga Soup Recipe
* Nigerian Chicken Stew
* How to Cook Okazi Soup (Ukazi Soup)
* Obe Ata Dindin : Nigerian Fried Pepper Stew
* How to Cook Edikang Ikong Soup
* Nigerian Tomato Stew(Vegan Stew)
* How to Cook Afang Soup
* Nigerian Pepper Soup
* Nigerian Ogbono Soup :How to Cook Ogbono Soup
* Nigerian Fish Stew (Obe Eja Tutu)
* How to Cook Nigerian Egusi Soup(Ofe Egusi/Obe Efo Elegusi)
Why does afang soup purge
Author
Wow! I never experienced that.
I heard that the Afang leaf
is also used as a laxative by some natives
to cure constipation
thanks for the recipes. Is a gang leaf the same as ery?
Author
Hi Diane, I truly don’t know what ery is?
Typo…. She meant Eru and yes, it’s the same thing.
Author
Oh , thanks Chika
Yes, Afang soup is the same as Eru.
What's up, jᥙst wаnted to tell ｙοu, I oved tһis blog post.It wаs inspiring. Kｅep on posting!
Author
Thank you so much.
My afang soup tastes a bit bitter, wat can I do to remendy it, will adding more palm oil help?
Author
Sorry this answer is late, but for anyone in this situation, please be aware that Afang soup has a slightly bitter taste, next time be sure to add less Afang leaves and more water leaves, and the only remedy now is to add in blanched water leaves or spinach to neutralize the bitterness.
Pls I heard you can grind your afang leaves with crayfish and pepper,is it true
Yes you can grind it.
Pretty good, one of my best soup after edikaikong soup. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Kelechi
Nice one
thanks
Can I add snails instead of periwinkle
yes you can.
I love your recipes….have learnt new tips. Thanks so much.
You're welcome 🙂
thanks for sharing your recipe. Mine was great thanks!
You're welcome 🙂
wow
🙂
This is nothing buh the best. And u just settle an issue btw me n my bf cuz this is his best soup. Thanks abunch hun.
You are so welcome dearie, I'm always glad to be of help 🙂
Nice one lily wil surely try it yummm
Thanks dearie 🙂
Thanks for providing a recipe for dry afang leaves.I have always wanted to cook afang soup, but all I can get here are dried ones, so I'll be trying it today, expect my feedback.
You are so welcome Yinka, I'll be expecting your feedback 🙂
Recipe On point Picture on pointEverything on point.You are too much jare, take five and great job.
Lol. thanks Hun 🙂
wow, this is just what i was looking for. thanks for the detailed recipe . I had my orientation at akwa ibom too and my primary assignment in one of the local school there. Thanks for the recipe, the people there don't add periwinkles all the time , i guess it's because a lot of their customers don't like it, i actually don't eat it. Keep up the good work Nky.
Hey see my fellow ''copper-shon'' ..lol.. good to have you here dearieYou are so right, they said a lot of people (visitors especially), don't fancy the periwinkles, so they just leave it out and use other sea food like dried fish.
R u suppose to put afang before waterleaf or it was a mistake…. Cos my mum does d vise visa.
Afang leaves are tougher than water leaves so I add it before.
I'm akwa ibom and I always add my afang leaves first too, the way Nky does, but both ways are okay, the soup will taste equally good.
thanks Nsa, good to hear it from an akwaibom girl 🙂
Thanks for this relevant recipe…I married an Akwa Ibom man….i need to practise and learn this recipe asap
You sure need to dearie, he'll be so pleased. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
as in ehn. dis is ma best soup sinx am a calabar gal. buh i jez gat d correct procedure. tenx ma'am
You're welcome sweetie, and do send me your pics when you prepare it 🙂
alryt will do
🙂
pls the excess water in water leaf how will I extract it…dat is my challange