Finally, the Afang Soup recipe is here for you. The soup is one of the most beloved traditional Nigerian dishes, celebrated for its nutritional and medicinal qualities.

It hails from the Efik people of Nigeria. I’ve been eager to share this recipe for months, but finding fresh periwinkles proved challenging. Despite my efforts to keep it authentic, I ultimately had to give up on that ingredient.

So, let’s get started…

About Afang Soup

The Nigerian Afang Soup, like the Edikang Ikong soup, is native to the Efiks, people of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states of Nigeria but eaten by all Nigerians. It is also very nutritious as the soup consists mainly of vegetables. Afang Soup is cooked with a generous quantity of Water leaves and wild herbal Okazi leaves.

The Nigerian Afang Soup should not be confused with the Okazi Soup common to the people of Imo and Abia States of Nigeria.

While Afang soup is cooked with basic vegetables, Okazi Soup is simply the Nigerian Egusi Soup cooked with thinly sliced Okazi leaves.

Ingredients for Afang Soup

1. 400g sliced Okazi/Afang leaves | about 4 handfuls

2. 250g Water leaves

3. 20 to 25 cl red palm oil (about 1 drink glass)

4. Beef, Kanda, and Dry fish

5. 2 tablespoons ground crayfish

6. Pepper and salt (to taste)

7. 2 stock cubes

A good alternative to water leaves is Lamb’s Lettuce, known as Canonigos in Spanish.

Before You Cook the Nigerian Afang Soup

Wash, drain, and slice your water leaves into tiny pieces. Grind or pound your sliced Okazi leaves. In Nigerian markets, the sellers of these sliced Okazi leaves have a machine for grinding them.

You can also grind it with a blender with a small quantity of water. Take a look at your ground Okazi leaves.
Grind the pepper and crayfish and cut the onions into tiny pieces.

Cooking Directions

Boil the beef and Kanda with your diced onions and stock cubes in a very small quantity of water. When done, add the dry fish and cook for about five more minutes.

Now add your palm oil, crayfish, and pepper. Once it starts boiling, add your Afang (okazi) leaves, water leaves, and periwinkle. When the Okazi leaves have softened and the water has dried up a bit, add salt to taste and leave to simmer for about five minutes. The Afang soup is ready!

Have you seen how simple that was? Now, let’s start cooking, remember to leave feedback when you’ve had the chance to replicate this easy Afang soup recipe. See you in the next post.