Nigeria • Efik and Ibibio Culinary Heritage

Classic Afang/Okazi Soup

Traditional Cross River Wild Spinach Soup

Deeply savory and richly layered, Classic Afang Soup combines finely shredded Afang/Okazi leaves, tender waterleaf, assorted meats and heritage seasonings in a treasured culinary tradition of Cross River and Akwa Ibom.

PREPARATION

35 minutes

COOKING

1 hour 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 55 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

2 pounds assorted meat, such as beef, goat meat, tripe or cow foot, cleaned and cut into pieces
1 cup cooked stockfish pieces, rinsed and deboned
1 medium smoked or dried fish, cleaned, deboned and divided into pieces
4 ounces CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Afang/Okazi Leaf
5 cups finely chopped waterleaf, or a combination of waterleaf and baby spinach
1 cup cleaned shelled periwinkles, optional
3/4 cup natural red palm oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup CaMasi Maison™ Premium Ground Crayfish
1–2 tablespoons ground dried pepper, adjusted to taste
2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste
2 seasoning cubes, optional
4 cups meat stock, plus more as needed

THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

Prepare the Afang leaves: Place the dried Afang/Okazi leaves in a large bowl and cover them with warm water. Soak for 15–20 minutes, then drain and rinse. Pound, blend or process the softened leaves briefly until finely shredded but not puréed.
Prepare the waterleaf: Rinse the waterleaf thoroughly, drain well and chop it finely. If substituting baby spinach, wash, drain and chop it before setting it aside.
Season the meat: Place the cleaned assorted meat in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add half of the chopped onion, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, the seasoning cubes if using, and approximately 1 cup of water.
Cook until tender: Cover and cook over medium heat for 35–45 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Add small amounts of water as needed. Reserve the meat and approximately 4 cups of its stock.
Add the stockfish: Add the cleaned stockfish during the final 10–15 minutes of cooking. Allow it to soften without breaking apart excessively.
Prepare the smoked fish: Rinse the smoked or dried fish, remove the bones and divide it into large pieces. Set it aside.
Build the soup base: Add the palm oil, remaining onion, ground crayfish and dried pepper to the cooked meat and stockfish. Stir gently and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
Add the waterleaf: Stir in the chopped waterleaf. Cover and cook for 8–10 minutes, allowing the leaves to release their natural moisture. Avoid adding excess stock at this stage.
Add the remaining proteins: Gently add the smoked fish and cleaned periwinkles if using. Simmer for another 5 minutes so they absorb the seasoned broth.
Add the Afang leaves: Fold the finely shredded Afang/Okazi leaves into the soup. Mix thoroughly and simmer uncovered for 7–10 minutes. Add a small amount of reserved stock only if the soup is excessively dry.
Finish and serve: Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. The finished soup should be richly leafy and moist without being watery. Remove from the heat, rest for 5 minutes and serve with eba, pounded yam, fufu or your preferred heritage swallow.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Afang Soup should be richly leafy rather than broth-heavy. Waterleaf provides the moisture and softness, while finely shredded Afang/Okazi contributes its characteristic depth, structure and slightly firm texture.

Add the Afang leaves near the end of cooking and avoid excessive simmering. This preserves their distinctive character while allowing them to absorb the seasoned palm-oil base.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains shellfish from ground crayfish, mollusks if prepared with periwinkles, and fish from stockfish and smoked or dried fish. Check the ingredients of any seasoning cubes used. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.

FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY