Afang Soup

Afang soup is fast climbing the top of the list of popular Nigerian soup. If you are interested in exploring Nigerian foods, this delicious soup would definitely spur your interest in Nigerian foods. This delicious soup is native to the Efiks, the major occupant of (Cross River & Akwa Ibom State). It really doesn’t matter your language, background or ethnic group, you can try original foods from different Nigerian cultures and ethnicity. Over the last few months I have focused on Efik delicacies, afang sits right on top of the list and today we are going to learn how to make this soup and other delicious Efik/Calabar foods. I think After Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba; Efik is another popular group in Nigeria; they have delicious foods that have left the rest of us salivating. Apart from this soup, they also have Edikang-Ikong, atama, nsala, and a few other delicious soups. Afang Soup I made this with afang leaves (ukazi) and water leaves, these two fresh leaves combine seamlessly to make a delicious looking afang soup. The Ukazi leaf is usually sliced and then ground with either a kitchen blender or a hand-grinding machine while the waterleaf is just sliced with a kitchen knife. I just like this soup because it is made with just vegetables, and I love vegetables! – They are nutritious, medicinal and contain fiber that helps the body cells to function properly. Don’t let your focus be on just Food alone, also make sure they are also healthy for consumption.

Afang Soup and Pregnancy

Since Afang leaves are very rich in folic acid and vitamin A, it is therefore considered healthy and nutritious for pregnant women and their unborn babies. During the first trimester in any pregnancy, babies direly need folic acid. While you can get them from the drugstore, I bet you would love them better in soups. 😀 So let’s make a delicious pot of afang soup, the list of ingredients below would make enough soup that would serve 6 persons twice. You can always refrigerate leftovers. Most people complain vegetable soups are difficult to prepare, usually because it takes time to pick and slice the fresh leaves. But once you pass that phase, the rest is chocolate! and no, I don’t eat chocolates. 😀 Sliced fresh water leaves (1kg) 1/2 cup of ground crayfish Ground fresh Ukazi leaves (200g) 3 cubes of knorr (sweetener) 1 stock fish head (medium size) 2 medium-sized dried or roasted fish 1.5 cups of palm oil 1 cup of Periwinkles (optional) Snails (optional) Salt and Pepper to taste (red fresh pepper) Pkomo (Optional) 1-2KG of any meat of choice.

Preparation

Assorted meat is the most suitable for afang soup but if you can’t find it in your location, you can use any meat you find. I used a combination of assorted meat and pkomo. Wash the snails with lime juice or grape juice and be sure it is rid of its slimy fluid. The periwinkle (isam) are usually cleaned by the sellers, you just need to wash. The ground ukazi leaves act as a thickener for this soup, I use fresh leaves for all my soup but if you can’t find fresh stuff in your location, go ahead and substitute with the dried alternative. You can tell from the image above that the leaves are fresh. Afang soup ingredients

How to Cook Afang Soup

Just go ahead and start parboiling the meat with all the necessary ingredients (2 cubes of knorr, half cup of sliced onions, salt and other spice of choice) Some people wash the water leaves before slicing them while others choose to slice them before washing; I prefer the latter. Slice and wash the water leaves and set aside in a plastic sieve to make sure that water is properly drained away. Most people don’t like a trace of water in their afang soup, that can be easily arranged, just try to squeeze the water leaves tightly before you add them to the soup. Soak the dried fish with warm water, remove the center bones and wash thoroughly with just water; also wash the stockfish head with warm water. Add them to the cooking meat and cook till they are soft and the pot is almost dry. Add the palm oil, stir all together. cooking part Add a seasoning cube, ground pepper, snails and salt to taste, allow cooking for 3-5 minutes. Add the water-leaves; allow to simmer for 5 minutes before adding the periwinkles, ground ukazi, and ground crayfish Making afang Stir all together, cover the pot and allow simmering for another 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. That is how to prepare afang soup, it can be served with fufu, eba, pounded yam, wheat. Any nice soft drink would be a welcome addition. There are other delicious efik soups that you may wanna give a whirl, compare Edikang-Ikong

How To Make Afang Soup Recipe and Video.

Afang Soup Recipe

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Afang soup is good for men, women and especially recommended for women during pregnancy. This soup has since topped the list of my favorite Nigeria soups. I think you are going to love it the moment you try it.

  • Cooker
  • 15 cups Sliced fresh waterleaves
  • 1/2 cup of ground crayfish
  • 3 cups Ground fresh Ukazi leaves
  • 3 cubes of knorr (sweetener)
  • 1 stockfish head (medium size)
  • 2 medium-sized dried or roasted fish
  • 1.5 cups of palm oil
  • 1 cup of Periwinkles (optional)
  • Snails (optional)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 6 Red fresh pepper
  • 2 KG Assorted meat
  1. Grind the ukazi leaves, it acts as the thickener for this soup.
  2. Season the meat with a half cup of sliced onions, salt, two seasoning cubes and other spice of choice)
  3. Slice the water leaves and set aside in a sieve so excess water will drain away.
  4. Wash the stockfish, dried fish and add them to the cooking meat, let them cook till they are soft and the pot is almost dry.
  5. Add the palm oil, crayfish and stir all together. Add one seasoning cube, ground pepper, snails and salt to taste, allow cooking for 3-5 minutes.
  6. Add the water-leaves; allow to simmer for 6 minutes while you stir continuously.
  7. Add the ground ukazi leaves. Stir all together, cover the pot and allow another 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
  8. and you are done with a delicious afang soup.
  9. Serve with eba, fufu or pounded yam
Dinner, Lunch
Nigerian soup
Afang soup, Efik soup

80 Comments

Yemisi Odunusi
Reply

5 stars
Love this never knew afang was the same as okazi though am a Yoruba woman but definitely going to try this over the weekend

February 12, 2024
Wale
Reply

5 stars
Oh my goodness

June 23, 2023
Samuel
Reply

Wow!i know the best way to cook it but kudos to you ,you tried.

February 24, 2023
Tracy
Reply

4 stars
Awesome recipe

June 19, 2022
Precious Amachukwu
Reply

Wow thanks ma’am will always visit here I like the way you teach and display pictures.

October 21, 2020
Harrison
Reply

I have been wanting to learn how to cook this soup until i stumbled into this, thanks for the insight Chi

June 9, 2020
Emma Ekanem
Reply

If you are cooking afang soup in the traditional way of the; Akwa Ibom and Cross River people, then grinding or blending the leaves is not acceptable. The afang leaves should be pounded with mortar and should be the last thing to go into the pot. Please Note; after putting the leaves it should not be cooked more than 2 minutes if you want to get a native afang soup. Hi chy i’m from akwa ibom and this is one of my favourite soups, and i also want to commend you for the good work you doing on this platform, so weldone!. Lastly i want to know how much it would cost me to get both your Nigerian Cook Book and Rice Cook Book (paper back), Thank you.

April 29, 2020
Progress
Reply

5 stars
Thanks for this great work you are doing, Afang soup is my favorite soup and Your explanations are clear and well understood. Kudos dear.

February 19, 2020
akinjobi HANNAH
Reply

5 stars
Wow this soup that you just share I was wondering how they are cooking it, thanks for this information love you.

January 16, 2020
fan
Reply

5 stars
Afang soup is really one of the best soups in Nigeria. This recipe is good. Thanks
I have been following this blog since 2011.

January 13, 2020
Agnes
Reply

If I am to use the dried utazi, do I blend or pound it

September 15, 2019
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Ukazi and not utazi! You can grind.

September 16, 2019
Edith
Reply

I really appreciate your good work. I always love to be served with afang soup but never prepared it by myself but will soon do that . thanks a lot

September 5, 2019
Umeh
Reply

5 stars
As in eh!

January 13, 2020
Afolasade
Reply

Nice one Chidi. Is okazi different from Ukazi or they are the same. So as not to mix it up when buying.
Thanks

May 10, 2019
Ngozi joceil Ojekwe
Reply

Pls the ukazi leaves, in the absence of pounding or grinding, will the soup come out nice?

March 23, 2019
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

No, the soup wouldn’t turn out well if you don’t pound or grind the ukazi.

March 28, 2019
Usua Okon
Reply

My personal experience has been that if the okazi or ukazi(choice of pronunciation) is pounded or ground too smooth, it gives unusual bowl movement that is close to what we commonly call purging. My advise is Pound/grind(with hand grinder) but not too smooth. Just rough, if you like. As for the periwinkle, you may go for the unshelled variety which has a process on its own(the cleaning aspect) or the shelled veriety which entails, also, the de-capping. I prefer the latter though. Thank you for this post. God bless you.

October 11, 2022
Chef Jujo
Reply

You must pound the ukazi, as matter of fact ukazi, and enough crayfish are major sweeteners in this soup. Use few hot peppers. Because it builds flavours and taste too. Ukazi must be grounded, it serves as a thickener and has a leave taste that suits the soup

May 25, 2023
Kasy
Reply

I think am already in love with this site. Thanks so much for the clear explanation of how to make afang soup. Am about preparing it.

February 16, 2019
best michael
Reply

i can’t believe i try this delicacy and it is wonderful…i almost roll my tongue on the plate
thanks to you chy

November 14, 2018
Victoria
Reply

Afang soup is one the simplest soup to make, especially if you have your ukazi pounded, to add to it Afang soup is so nourishing😋😋.
Chi well done

February 29, 2024
patrick
Reply

I love this site
I will cook afang soup tomorrow

August 24, 2018
Henrietta
Reply

You are wonderful. I’ve learnt a lot from you. Keep up with the good work.

June 18, 2018
Zainab
Reply

Wao! In fact just this afternoon I found a long lost recipe of Afang soup a friend wrote down for me prior to my wedding 10 years ago. This just complement and will make my Afang thick!!! Thanks so much

February 17, 2018
Oyiza
Reply

Wao… Now I can try it . thanks

November 2, 2017
Sophie
Reply

Thanks for sharing, was about to cook this soup and forgot some steps. My soup came out wonderful after going through your site

November 19, 2023
Blessing
Reply

I just cooked the afang today it came out bad not tasting like the one I do eat in restaurant.. Wat am I missing I followed the instructions but my afang leave came out strong to eat .. I didn’t even know it should be grinded was DAT the reason why it didn’t come out well or was it becos I didn’t put archi or periwinkle pls reply I want to try it second time

October 20, 2017
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

You did not grind the afang leaves? It should be ground. And no, it is not the periwinkles, also, we don’t use ofor while making afang soup. Just let the guys in the market grind it, they know how it is done.

October 23, 2017
Damsel
Reply

Awesome!!!!!!!!

September 10, 2017
Mfon-Abasi
Reply

Put the water leaf in an empty pot, cook for about 4-5 min, ( this is the best option for beginners, you may have added a lot of water in the meat, adding the water leaf to it is a no for me until u master the cooking…) cook it for 3min( if you are using a gas cooker). Go ahead and add your steamed fish, meat etc.
Add know cube, salt, grounded crayfish, a little pepper and then the oil. Leave to cook for about 2 minute, add the grounded Afang, stir and bring it down. Leave the pot covered for 2min. Your Afang soup will be fresh.

July 27, 2017
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Thanks for your tip.

July 27, 2017
Lucy Victor
Reply

Pls can i add Oziza leave

June 2, 2017
FRANK
Reply

you are doing a great job my dear.

May 31, 2017
Rosemary
Reply

The last time I prepared Afang it came out bitter, what could be the cause

February 17, 2017
Silifatou Osseni. G.
Reply

I highly appreciate the great job you are doing. Go ahead !

February 2, 2017
Fredson Fred
Reply

My God! I feel so tasty after watching this video of afang soup. Big thanks to the cooks and to the idea designers of this software. Big thank u I will try it. Once again thanks.

December 4, 2016
Bridget Viashimah
Reply

Wao Chidi great job you are doing. Thanks for the afang soup recipe,have been looking for where to learn how to make it.Am from Benue state but it’s one of my favorite soups. God bless and strengthen you dear.

July 15, 2016
Olajumoke
Reply

you are doing a great job,weldone! I tried your fried rice recipe and everyone was wowed!!!God bless you.

April 27, 2016
chy
Reply

that’s very thoughtful of you…I have a suggestion to make..I have been in calabar for over a year and I have watched my friends cook afang.they first put d water leaf on fire in an empty pot and allow for 2- 3 minutes.This is to make sure there is no trace of water in the water leaf before using it for your soup..

March 14, 2016
Uchenna
Reply

U are really doing a great job.Thanks very muchfor the recipes.God will bless u in all ur endevours in Jesus name.

February 13, 2016
Ngozi
Reply

Thanks dearie & may God continue to bless your efforts.
This soup looks yummy. keep it up.

February 13, 2016
destiny
Reply

thanks for the Afang recipe. will ensure i try it. Stay bless

February 12, 2016
ikemangel
Reply

Kudos to u chy, and may God visit u at the point of ur needs. Because in ur own little way, u’re saving many homes from shame. May God reward u of ur kind gesture.

February 12, 2016

Thanks for the recipe and a job well done to you God bless u ma.will try it soon

February 12, 2016
vicky orji o
Reply

I will like to be a distributor in kaduna, how do I go about it

February 12, 2016
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

call 08035051468 for all our books

February 12, 2016
vicky orji o
Reply

yummylicious chy, but I didn’t see onion on the recipe, is it that onion is not needed in afang soup?
am booking for my cookbook today. by GOD’s grace

February 12, 2016
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

ok, I don’t use onions for afang soup, it is not really neccasary.

February 12, 2016
Deecee
Reply

Thanks a lot oooooo. I love cooking but I didn’t know that these soups were easy to cook

February 9, 2016
lovelinejacob
Reply

Thanks very much for your recipe, honestly you are doing a great job i truly love this

January 19, 2016
Redemption
Reply

Omg!!! U r really of great help to me Chidi now I can cook so many soup.. I cooked delicious fried rice xday. Thanks thanks thanks a lot.. nemaste

October 28, 2015
kennie
Reply

This is really yummy! Hmmmmmmmm! Mouth watering! More recipes pls

October 23, 2015
kennie
Reply

This is really yummy! Hmmmmmmm! More recipes pls

October 23, 2015
Lois
Reply

nice one. thanks for sharing

October 23, 2015
chisom
Reply

i like d food n i ll like to recive more

October 16, 2015
lilwhite
Reply

Am so thankful I came across this site. I have learnt so much here. Thanks to u chy.

September 27, 2015
Peace
Reply

5 stars
Thanks for the receipt of the Afang soup so helpful and grateful to join this sit. Thanks and remain blessed

March 11, 2020
CHIKA
Reply

tnx Chi,do u have a distributor of your cookbook in enugu?

August 3, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

We distribute to all states in Nigeria via our Abuja, Lagos and Portharcourt offices. We are however looking for more distributors, pls call 08035051468 for more details. thanks

August 4, 2015
Adaco
Reply

well done Ma Chidi pls what is Ogiri Thanks for your enlighting

July 28, 2015
seyifubmi ojo
Reply

all of this is very good I want to join

July 13, 2015
Nancy
Reply

Thanks, it helps me a lot God bless you dearly

July 21, 2019
Yinka Adeyemi
Reply

Pls how can I get some of your nigerian cook book and ingredient book

June 24, 2015
derealprincess
Reply

I thought all these soups are so difficult to make but you made it look so simple. Gosh am in love with this site already.

March 24, 2015
Emy
Reply

Pls can I use the dried ukazi for making afang soup? My mum left some dried ukazi from the time she visited and I don’t know what exactly to make out of it.

March 3, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Sure, you can use dried ukazi but then you may wanna add the ukazi before the water leaves so it doesn’t end up being hard to chew.

March 3, 2015
Amaka
Reply

Thanks for showing me how to make this soup finally, I have searching for the recipe for a very long time.

March 3, 2015
precilycious
Reply

Chi,u are fantabulous i just love u,the way u break things down to the simplest term u are great,as u are building homes for others,God will make yr home a strong pillar that no man can pull down,i just ran into to site minutes
ago and am so so confused dont kw what to even put down,God bless u and u family.

March 2, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

My dear Precilycious, you are wonderful; God bless you and your family too.

March 3, 2015
okiemute
Reply

Thank you very much for this wonderful site. It has enabled women from different backgrounds and various ethnicity gain access to basic traditional delicacies.

February 24, 2015
PEA
Reply

I love you and your good work .

Please I am not a Nigerian and I am lost when you mention the ingredients in your local language.
Thank you

January 27, 2015
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Sorry about that, some of the ingredients don’t even have English names, I think you will find them in any African shop.

January 28, 2015
cre
Reply

I have been following the Nigerian kitchen for a long time now and I must say that you have really improved my cooking and also thought me to make new and delicious foods. Thanks for the good work and thanks for the vegetable soup.

January 19, 2015
nelly
Reply

chy this is lovely, thank you for the sharing you ideas with us. remain blessed!

January 5, 2015
madam whyte
Reply

Thank You Chi,I’ve been longing to know how to prepare afang and today you taught me how to.
I must say a big thank you to you

January 5, 2015
opeyemi
Reply

Fenks to u.my fried rice was perfect.

January 5, 2015
Victoria
Reply

You’re doing a great job Chidi…Kudos! Thanks for the Afang recipe..Will try it someday!

January 5, 2015
Dare
Reply

Thanks for the recipe for afang soup, I have been following your site for almost six months now and I must say that you are doing a wonderful job. Pls How do I get your books.
Dare. A

December 22, 2014
Chidi Anegbu
Reply

Thanks for your comment, Dare.

December 22, 2014

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