Complete Guide On How to Cook Afang Soup
What is An Afang Soup?
Afang Soup is a soup made with a variety of (Okazi in Igbo) vegetables known as waterleaves, palm oil, assorted seafood/fish, meat, and spice often served anytime. This soup is popular in the eastern part of Nigeria, majorly the Efik and Ibibio tribes in Calabar, where it is often eaten with pounded yam, Eba, plantain, or oatmeal fufu.
The Afang Soup is a Nigerian food that can be eaten as breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The ingredients used to cook this dish vary depending on personal preference, but it usually consists of vegetables and meat (usually beef). The dish can also be served with bread or rice to accompany the soup.
Ingredients to Cook Afang Soup:
- 400g sliced Okazi/Afang leaves | about 4 handfuls
- 3 pounds of beef (or other meat) Beef, Kanda, and Dry fish
- 2 onions
- 1 carrot
- 1 turnip
- 1 tomato
- Thyme leaves (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- 250g Water leaves
- 20 to 25 cl red palm oil (about 1 drink glass)
- 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
- Pepper and salt (to taste)
- 2 stock cubes
Step by Step On How to Cook Afang Soup
Afang soup is a traditional Nigerian soup that is usually prepared with meat, such as beef, pork, or chicken. The meat is boiled in water to make the broth. Then, the vegetables are added and cooked for about 10 minutes. Finally, the soup is seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
How to cook Afang Soup the Calabar Way
- To prepare Afang Soup, you will need to start with a well cleaned and dried animal intestine.
- Cut the intestine into short pieces.
- Put some water in a pot, add salt and enough palm oil to cover the bottom of the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until it almost dries up. Add onion, ginger, and ground lime leaves or curry leaves if desired.
- Add more water to cover all ingredients in a pot. Bring the mixture back to boil, then lower the heat again and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until softened (if using fresh beef intestines). If using dried beef intestines, cook for an hour or two before adding more water.
Cooking Directions to Cook Afang soup
- Set aside the water leaves after slicing them.
- Set aside Afang leaves that have been sliced, pounded, or blended.
- With chopped onions, one stock cube/seasoning cube, and salt to taste, cook the mixed meat and stockfish. Cook until the vegetables are soft.
- Then, in a pot of boiling water, clean the dried fish, remove the bones, and add the fish to the pot of cooked meat.
- Toss in the palm oil, pepper, ground crayfish, and the last stock cube.
- After that, add the periwinkles (if you are using any).
- Allow for a 10-minute boil time after covering the pot.
- Allow 3 minutes to simmer if using fresh Afang leaves.
Tip: It is normal to add water leaves before Afang leaves, however owing to the roughness of Afang leaves, I prefer to add it first before the water leaves. Feel free to do it your way; the soup will still taste delicious.
- Season with salt to taste, then boil for 2 minutes to finish your Afang Soup.
Enjoy.
- After 10 minutes, add the Afang leaves and cook for 3–5 minutes before adding the water leaves.
How to Make Nigerian Afang Soup
1st step
Simply begin parboiling the meat with all of the other ingredients (2 seasoning cubes, half cup of sliced onions, and a teaspoon of salt.)
2nd Step
Slice and wash the water leaves, then place them in a plastic sieve to drain any excess water.
Most people dislike a trace of water in their Afang soup; however, this can be avoided by carefully squeezing the water leaves before adding them to the soup.
3rd step
Soak the dried fish in warm water, remove the core bones, and wash thoroughly with only water; additionally wash the stockfish head. Cook until they are soft and the saucepan is almost dry, then add them to the simmering meat. Pour in the palm oil.
4th step
Cook for 3-5 minutes with a spice cube, snails, and salt to taste.
5th step
Allow the water leaves to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring at intervals. prior to adding the periwinkles, Ukazi, and ground crayfish
Stir everything together, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
That’s how I make Afang soup, which I may serve with fufu, Eba, pounded yam, and wheat. Any pleasant soft drink would be welcome.