Afia Efere (White Soup)

"Afia Efere (White Soup)"

Afia Efere is a simple Efik soup which is very delicious. Afia Efere is called white soup because it is traditionally cooked without palm-oil using goat-meat or chicken in which case, they are called "afia efere ebot" or "afia efere unen" respectively. This Efik cuisine also has a very simple recipe. You can also use fresh fish.

INGREDIENTS:

- I kg / 2 lb fresh goat-meat

- 1 medium dry fish

- 200g pounded yam (for thickening)

- 2 teaspoons of dry pepper

- Stockfish head

- Uyayak pod (local spice)

- Ground crayfish

- 4 Seasoning

- Salt

HOW TO PREPARE

Wash and boil stockfish until tender. Cut and wash meat, add salt, one tea spoon of dry pepper and 2 cubed seasoning. Boil until tender. Add the boiled stockfish to the boiled meat. Next, add washed fish, dry pepper, uyayak pod and ground crayfish.

When all the ingredients are boiled cut the pounded yam into small balls and drop into the soup to slightly thicken it and then add 2 more cubed seasoning. Taste for salt. Serve hot with pounded yam.

Note: Incase you want to use fresh fish, add the fish 2 minutes to the end of the cooking.

Atama Soup

"Atama Soup"

Atama soup is an Efik delicacy, which is very delicious especially when served hot. This rich Efik cuisine is very nutritious and belly-warming. The recipe is very simple and easy to follow. Many housewives use it to win back their husband’s heart after a serious quarrel.


INGREDIENTS:
- Beef or bush-meat
- 1 medium size smoked fish
- 10 pieces kpomo (roasted cow skin)
- 1 medium size stockfish head
- 1 cup Perewinkle in shell
- 1 bunch Atama leaves
- 2-3Kg Palm fruits
- 2 Cooking spoon ground crayfish
- 1 small piece Uyayak (local spice)
- 4 cubes of seasoning
- Water
- Salt to taste.

HOW TO PREPARE
Using a blunt knife, cut a little piece of the tail end of the periwinkles and remove the intestine; then wash thoroughly to remove all the mud.

Wash and boil the palm fruits for about 30 minutes or until they are soft. Strain off the water and pound till the fibers come off the nuts. Heat the water until it is just warm; then add to the pounded palm fruit and mix thoroughly after which you strain off the oily extract.

Wash and season your meat with salt, 2 cubes of seasoning and small pepper, then steam for about 5 minutes on low heat. Add about 1½ cups of water, stockfish head and continue boiling for about 20 minutes till the meat is almost cooked, and remove from heat.

Cut the atama leaves into very thin strips then pound for about 10 minutes till the leaves are finely pounded.

Place the oily extract on the burner and allow to boil for about 5 minutes. Add cooked meat, and washed smoked fish, meat stock, perewinkle, crayfish, pepper and 2 more cubes of seasoning and uyayak (local spice). Stir and allow to boil for about 10 minutes.

Add the atama leaves and allow to boil without stirring for another 10 minutes. Stir, and add salt to taste.

Allow to simmer for another 15 –10 minutes or until slightly thick.

Remove from heat and serve with eba, fufu, pounded yam or boiled white rice.

Afang Soup

"Afang Soup"

Afang soup is a very appetizing soup of the Cross Riverians in Cross River state. The Efiks in Cross River state particularly cherish it. The afang leaves has very unique flavors and when combined with the flavors of other ingredients like periwinkles, snails, stock fish, dry fish etc. make a very delicious and tasty soup. This Efik delicacy (afang soup) is a very rich Efik cuisine which qualifies be served during magnificent occasions like wedding ceremonies, chieftaincy coronation ceremonies and festivals etc.

INGREDIENTS:

- Afang leaves (Sliced and pounded)

- Waterleaf (prepared and washed)

- 6 Snails (washed with salt or lemon or alum, or lime)

- Beef or bush-meat
- Roasted Cow skin (kanda, kpomo)

- Dry fish (medium size)
- Ground crayfish (a generous amount)

- Periwinkle (shelled)

- Ground pepper

- Palm oil

- Medium Stockfish (cut into size)

- 5 Cubed seasoning

- 1 medium size Onions

- Salt to taste

HOW TO PREPARE

Wash the meat or bush-meat; then wash and cut the roasted cow skin (kanda, kpomo) and cut into several small bits, then put them in a pot and add some pepper, onions, salt and 2 cubed seasonings with a very little water; then cook until tender. Next, wash the stockfish and cook until tender. Meanwhile, remove the snails from their shells and wash with salt (or lemon or lime or alum) to remove the slime.

Wash the dry fish with salt and leave to soak in hot water for 5-8 minutes to remove the sand and kill any insect. Rinse out thoroughly with lots of cold water. Wash the water leaf, slice and then wash again to remove the slime. Using the blunt end of a knife, cut the top and tail of the periwinkles and wash thoroughly.

In a bigger pot add the cooked meat, stockfish, snail, periwinkles, dry fish, ground crayfish, some ground pepper, salt and 3 cubed seasoning. Add very little water if necessary. Cook for about 10 minutes. Next, add the waterleaf and cook for 5minutes, add palm oil and boil for 2 minutes.

Lastly, add the pounded afang leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Give it a good stir and bring it to the boil. Remove from heat and serve with eba, pounded yam, fufu or semolina.

Note:

(1) Do not over cook the afang leaves.

(2) It is not advisable to use chicken or fresh fish as their flavors tends to override the flavor of the afang leaves which is what makes the afang soup very tasteful.