Afang soup with egusi soup is another Calabar delicious delicacy prepared with the afang leaves and ground egusi (thickener); this afang with egusi soup is what the Igbo people usually refer to as egusi and okazi or okazi with egusi soup, but with some slit differences. Afang and egusi soup is usually prepared in special ceremonies like weddings and funerals, the Calabars usually refer to this soup as Afang Ikon. There are other versions of afang soup prepared mostly by the Efiks such as afang and waterleaves soup and afang with okra soup. You can also make afang soup with okra just the same way you will have made editan soup and abak atama soup.
This version of afang soup (afang with egusi soup) is very special, its taste is unique and almost similar tothe popular Nigerian Afang soup, and it is very delicious as well. Generally, bitter leaves, uziza and ugwu leaves (fluted pumpkin) are commonly used for making egusi soup, if you are looking for another healthy vegetable to prepare with egusi soup, this afang leaf could be your best option.
Afang and egusi soup is very easy to make it doesnt take much time either, all you need to do is to slightly pound afang leaves or quickly blend the leaves with a dry mill and also get the egusi ready. Afang leaves are a bit tough when chewed, pounding it helps to reduce the sharp edges and make it even and smooth in the soup. I advise you blend or pound afang in a mortar with a pestle first before adding it to the soup; you will enjoy it better when its even.
For this afang with egusi soup, you can use any type of meat (beef or goat meat), I used chicken to make mine and while cooking the chicken, I extracted a lot of rich broth for the soup. Periwinkles, shrimps and kpomo (fresh cow hide) can be added to make this soup, these ingredients add additional taste to the soup, if you are not adding any of these, try adding stockfish or dried fish to your afang and egusi soup , I used both. Stockfish is very flavourful in afang with egusi soup. Additionally, I added much afang to the egusi soup you can add to your taste. Here is how to make lumpy egusi soup (caking method) if you want that version of egusi. This is another simple afang soup recipe to try out. Make sure you taste this soup; you will enjoy it so much.
Table of Contents
Afang with Egusi Soup Ingredients
- 1 medium bunch afang leaves (dry or fresh afang)
- 2 cups of ground egusi
- 1kg of chicken cutlets
- 1 medium stockfish head
- 5 medium size dried fish
- 1 medium size kpomo (fresh cow hide)
- Periwinkles (optional)
- 3 tablespoons ground crayfish
- 3 cooking spoons palm oil
- 3 seasoning cubes, crushed
- 1 medium onions, chopped
- 4 scotch bonnet peppers, blended
- 1 medium okpei/dawadawa (locust beans)
- Salt to taste
Ingredients for cooking afang with egusi soup recipe
Steps on how to prepare afang with egusi soup (Egusi with Okazi soup)
- Season the chicken or beef with some seasoning cubes, onions, salt and chicken spices.
- Cook the meat for about 30 minutes or until it is no longer pink.
- When the chicken is almost soft, add the stockfish, kpomo and cook until tender.
- While you are cooking the meat, pound or blend afang, also grind egusi and keep aside.
- Turn the meat into a bowl and set aside once it is cooked.
- Place an empty pot on heat, add 3 cooking spoons of palm oil into it and heat it up for 30 seconds.
- Add some chopped onions to the oil and stir fry, add the ground egusi and fry for 10 minutes
- Add the chicken broth to prevent the content from burning and bring to a boil.
- Season with crayfish and 2 chicken stock cubes, dawadawa, pepper and stir well.
- Add the dried fish, shrimps if you using and let the content cook for 15 minutes on a medium heat.
- Stir the content and taste for seasonings, add the pounded afang into it and stir to combine.
- Leave the soup to cook for 5 minutes or long enough to get the afang leaf soft enough.
- Take the soup off from heat once its ready and serve your afang and egusi with fufu or with eba.
Easy Steps to prepare Afang with Egusi Soup (Egusi with Okazi soup) with Pictures
1. Season the chicken or beef with some seasoning cubes, onions, salt and chicken spices.
2. Cook the meat for about 30 minutes or until it is no longer pink.
Boiling o chicken for afang with egusi soup recipe
3. When the chicken is almost soft, add the stockfish, kpomo and cook until tender. While you are cooking the meat, pound or blend afang, also grind egusi and keep aside.
4. Turn the meat into a bowl and set aside once it is cooked and place an empty pot on heat, add 3 cooking spoons of palm oil into it and heat it up for 30 seconds. I cooked the meat a day ago, so I didn’t have the chance to cook the stockfish with it, Ihad to soak it in hot water to get it soft; I will be adding it much later.
Frying of onions in oil for afang with egusi soup
5. Add some chopped onions to the oil and stir fry, add the ground egusi and fry for 10 minutes
6. Add the chicken broth to prevent the content from burning and bring to a boil. and season it with crayfish and 2 chicken stock cubes, dawadawa locust beans), pepper and stir well.
Frying of egusi in palm oil for afang soup
The broth (water) `and fish should be added once egusi is properly fried
Return the cooked meat to the soup after the soup has simmer for 5-10 minutes
7. Add the dried fish, shrimps if you using and let the content cook for 15 minutes on a medium heat.
After adding all the needed ingredients, let the soup cook for about 15 minutes for everything to combine
8. Stir the content and taste for seasonings, add the pounded afang into it and stir to combine.
Afang leaf is being added to egusi soup
9. Leave the soup to cook for 5 minutes or long enough to get the afang leaf soft enough.
Afang soup made with egusi (egusi with okazi)
10. Take the soup off from heat once its ready and serve your afang and egusi with fufu or with eba.
Afang soup gets thicker the longer it sits, you can add warm water into it to adjust its consistency.
Afang with egusi soup ( egusi with okazi soup) is ready, you can pair it with fufu
Afang with egusi soup paired with swallow