How to Prepare a Healthy Afang Soup

How to Prepare a Healthy Afang Soup: Afang soup is a delicious soup made by combining two fresh vegetables named waterleaf or malabar spinach. It is typically enjoyed by the Efik and Ibibio people of Nigeria.

Afang soup is very nutritious, and the cost of preparation may be adjusted to meet the needs of the family. If you’re interested in learning more about Nigerian delicacies, this wonderful soup will undoubtedly pique your attention.

The healthiest aspect of Afang is its high dietary fiber content, which aids in constipation relief and weight loss. It also increases immunity and aids the body in the fight against sickness.

Afang soup is important for pregnant women.

Because Afang is high in folic acid and vitamin A, it has been beneficial in giving appropriate nutrition for both the mother and the unborn child.

Note: Grinding or blending the leaves is not allowed if you are making afang soup in the traditional way of the Akwa Ibom and Cross River people. The Afang leaves should be pounded in a mortar and added last to the soup. Please be aware that if you want to make a native Afang soup, you should not cook it for more than 2 minutes after adding the leaves.

Afang Soup is made using the following Ingredients:

• 5 cups of palm oil
• Sliced fresh water leaves (1kg)
• 1-2KG of Beef/ Cow skin (Kpomo)
• 1 Stock fish head (medium size)
• 2 medium size of Smoked fish
• 3 cubes of knorr Maggi
• 1/2 cup of ground crayfish
• 2 medium onion bulbs
• Pounded fresh Afang leaves (200g)
• 2 teaspoons of grounded pepper or 14 pieces of fresh pepper
• 2 cups of periwinkle
• Salt to taste

Pounded fresh Afang leaves preparation procedure 

1. Select the leaves
2. Wash the Afang leaves in water and dry them in the sun on a tray.
3. When it’s dried, slice the Afang leaves using a tray, chopping stick, and kitchen knife,
   

   

4. Once you’ve finished cutting the leaves, put them in a mortar and pound them until they’re even.
5. When you’re done, go on to the next item.

Process of preparing sliced fresh water leaves

1. Pick the leaves
2. Wash the leaf until it is completely clean.
3. Slice the leaves using a tray, a chopping stick, and a kitchen knife.
   

   

4. When you’re done, go ahead and start preparing other items.

Beef/Cow skin (Kpomo) and 1 Stock fish head preparation (how to steam them before cooking)

Wash the pieces of meat, cow skin (kpomo), and 1 Stock fish head into a pot.

1. Season with a pinch of salt to taste.
2. Peel the outer covering off two medium onion bulbs before slicing them into the cooker.
3. In the same pot, add a pound of fresh pepper OR 1 tsp of ground pepper.
4. Add one (1) Maggi knorr cube
5. Using a spoon, mix the meat and the ingredients together.
6. Put the pot on the fire and steam it for 20 minutes. Add a reasonable amount of water to the steamed beef and cook it for 20 minutes.
7. Before taking it down from the fire, give it a taste to see whether it’s done.
8. When it’s done, take it off the fire, cover it, and go about preparing other items.

How to wash the periwinkle  

• Cut the periwinkle if it hasn’t been cut by the market women.
  

  

• Place it in a basin and wash it with water until it is completely clean.
• It’s worth noting that once the periwinkle is clean, the water you used to wash it will also be clean.

The Crayfish’s Preparation

Before pounding, soak the dry crayfish in water for a few minutes. So, if it had any sand, it should settle in the water.

You can also use ground crayfish in this recipe.

The Smoked Fish Preparation Process

Remove the fish’s intestines, gills, and bones, and thoroughly wash it.

Process of pepper preparation

If you’re using a fresh pepper, wash, pound, or grind it before using.

The moment you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. 

Here’s how to prepare a nourishable Afang soup in the traditional way of the; Akwa Ibom and Cross River people in (Two Different Ways) without further ado.

How to Prepare a Nourishable Afang Soup in a Traditional Way (METHOD 1)

Step 1: Place your cooking pot on the fire

Step 2: pour in palm oil

 Step 3: Add water leaves and spread them within the pot and cover the pot for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Open the pot and pour in the steaming items along with the water, then cover for 5 minutes to allow the water to boil.

Step 5: Open the pot and add the crayfish and fish, then cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 6: Pour in the periwinkle and cover for 2 minutes to allow it to boil.

Step 7: Open the pot and add two cubes of knorr Maggi, as well as salt and pepper to taste.

Step 8: After one minute, uncover the pot and add the Afang leaves, then cover for two minutes to allow the soup to boil and circulate.

Step 9: Before taking the soup off the fire, open the pot and stir it thoroughly to combine all of the ingredients.

How to Prepare a Nourishable Afang Soup in a Traditional Way (Step 2)

Step1: place the steam content on fire and add another water to it and cover it to boil for 5 minutes

Step2: Add the Crayfish and fish and cover the pot for 2 minutes to boil

Step3: Add periwinkle and cover the pot for 2 minutes to boil

Step4: Add two cubes of knorr Maggi, pepper, and salt to taste and close the pot back

Step5: Pour in periwinkle and cover the pot for 2 minutes to boil

Step6: Add waterleaf and cover the pot for 2 minutes to boil

Step 7: Open the pot and add Afang leaf and 1.5 cups of palm oil, cover the pot for two minutes to boil and circulate.

Step 8: Before taking the soup off the fire, open the pot and stir it thoroughly to combine all of the ingredients.

A nourishable Afang soup goes well with any type of swallow, such as fufu, garri, or rice etc.