Nigerian Afang Soup Recipe

In this post, I will show you how to make the famous Nigerian soup, afang, step by step.

Afang soup originated from Efiks in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States (Southern Nigeria). This delicious soup, cooked with a combination of pounded afang leaves and thinly sliced water leaf is packed with an assortment of meats, fish and seafood (periwinkle is a favourite). Afang soup is usually served with pounded yam, fufu and gari (eba). It is traditionally served at special occasions and festivals but is easy to make at home.

The botanical name for afang is Gnetum africanum. This hard and waxy green leaf has various names, depending on the region. Ibos call this vegetable okazi, which is how it is more commonly known, while in Cameroon, it is called “eru”. Other names include mfumbwa and ukazi.

I couldn’t get my hands on water leaves, so I substituted it with baby spinach.

How To Prepare Afang Soup

Here are the ingredients you need...

Bokoto (cow leg)
Goat meat
Onion
Bouillon cube
Salt
Cameroon pepper
Palm oil
Smoked cat fish
Okazi
Baby spinach
Ground crayfish

A few notes about the ingredients

Okazi Leaves: Depending on what you can find,both fresh and dried okazi work well for the afang soup recipe. People in Nigeria will find whole fresh leaves in most markets, while in the diaspora, we mostly have access to sliced, dried leaves.
Water leaf: This is a very common vegetable in Nigeria, but it isn't easy to find outside the country. I used baby spinach as a substitute, but if you find this vegetable, it is better to use it.
Blending the leaves: Traditionally, okazi leaves are pounded to soften and break down the leaves, but a blender or food processor does the job too. I used dried leaves and found that I had to use my powerful Ninja blender to break down the tough leaves. If you are using dried leaves like me and do not have a powerful blender, use a knife to chop the already sliced leaves as much as possible.
Meat/Fish: Use the meat and fish of your choice for your afang recipe. Assorted meat and fish are some of the signatures of the dish – smoked mackerel, cow skin, offals (tripe etc), and smoked turkey all work very well.

Afang soup, served with garri on a plate

How to make it...

Soak the fish for a few minutes. Then, remove the bones, wash and keep aside.

Soak the dried okazi in warm water for 10 mins. Wash and add into a powerful blender. Pulse for a few minutes until the leaves are broken down, but not turned into a puree.

Wash the spinach and slice thinly.

You can either use pre-cooked meat for afang soup or cook your meat when you are preparing the soup. I prefer to cook the cow feet separately in a pressure cooker as it is quicker.

Wash and add the cow feet into the pressure cooker with some salt, 2 cups of water and bouillon cubes. Cook for 15 mins, then remove from heat.

Add the goat meat into a saucepan. Slice the onion and add into the pan. Combine with some salt, bouillon cubes and ½ a cup of water. Cook until the meat is tender.

Add the cooked cow feet, palm oil, Cameroon pepper and dried catfish into the pan. Reduce the heat and leave to cook for 10 mins.

Mix in the sliced spinach, okazi leaves and ground crayfish. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Most people add the okazi leaves last and cook it for a very short time, but I added mine at the same time as the spinach to soften the leaves further.

Cook for another 10 mins. Remove from heat.

Recipe FAQ & Notes

Where can I get Okazi leaves?

Thinly sliced dried okazi soup is available at most African shops. You can also get online at Etsy or Amazon.

What is the difference between afang soup and edikan-ikong?

Afang soup is cooked with okazi leaves and water leaf, while edikang ikong is prepared with water leaf and ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves).

Other Nigerian Soups

Egusi Soup

Ugba (African Oil Bean) Soup

Miyan Taushe (Hausa Pumpkin) Soup