My Diary Game|| 17th January, 2025 || Preparing Afang Soup (Ibibio People's Pride)

Afang Soup 🍲

"Dear Diary"
Friday was particularly fulfilling as I dedicated all my time to preparing one of our best and most cherished Ibibio delicacies - Afang Soup. The process all began early in the morning when I made up my mind for this delicious food. I sharpen my knife 🗡️ for cutting and gathered all the necessary ingredients for this our traditional dish that has been passed down through generations.

My ingredient list includes;

• A very Fresh afang leaves,
• Tender water leave,
• Assorted Cow skin meat (Kpomo),
• Dried Fish and Stockfish
• Periwinkles, palm oil, ground crayfish, scotch bonnet peppers, seasoning cubes, salt, and the traditional spices.
  I also ensured very well that I had enough garri to help serve with the soup, as they make a perfect pairing when eating.

My Preparation Process started with washing out dirts and cutting the Leaves to fine portions. I meticulously cleaned well the afang leaves and the waterleaf, ensuring that they were properly sorted to remove any unwanted stems. The waterleaves needed more of extra attention as it's very crucial for achieving the right consistency in the soup.

• For the proteins, I began well by washing and also cutting the assorted cow skin into a pretty bite-sized pieces. I boiled with hot water and seasoned them with onions, seasoning cubes, and salt until they were eventually tender. Of course The stockfish and dried fish were properly cleaned and also added to the pot seasoning meat to infuse their rich flavors into the stock too.

	The Water leaves I got from the market

Our Traditional Afang Leaves I got from my village

	After Chopping the Water Leaves

My Grounded Afang leaves

The real art came in preparing the afang leaves. By genuinely following "our traditional method", I grounded them with mortar to achieve that very distinctive texture that makes our Afang soup more unique. The waterleaves I've also chopped them finely, as its known proper preparation is key to the soup's signature consistency.

Now In a large pot, I heated the palm oil to a certain tendency until it reached the right temperature. I then added those grounded crayfish and pepper, allowing their aromas to fill my kitchen.

The seasoned protein meat and stock was what I added next, followed by the chop water leaves and Grounded Afang Leaves. I carefully stirred well the mixture, adding the periwinkles and then the dried fish at intervals to ensure they cooked properly without really breaking apart.

• "N/B:" According to my traditions and how my parents taught me, we don't include onions to our spices when cooking Afang Soup 🍲. This is very important and has it's reasons.

While the soup simmered gently, I prepared the garri I'll accompanied my soup with by gradually adding hot water to it in a bowl, allowing it to swell to the perfect consistency for swallowing while stirring and mixing evenly. "Not too soft and not too firm" as well, just the way we enjoy it in our culture.

• After like about 40 minutes of cooking, adjusting all the seasoning, and allowing the flavors to meld together, my Afang soup was finally ready. The deep green color, rich genuine consistency, and enticing aroma indicated to me that I had successfully prepared this beloved dish to it grand desire.

I served myself the soup 🍲 while hot with the prepared garri, arranging the meat and fish pieces so attractively on top. The periwinkles and as well the assorted cow skin meat added beautiful textures, while the combination of afang and the waterleaves created that perfect balance our soup is always known for.

My Reflection

As I sat down later to enjoy my meal, I felt this deep connection to my Ibibio heritage(proud with pride). The familiar taste brought me back to memories of our family gatherings and celebrations where this dish has always been a "grand finale centerpiece". Indeed, I'll conclude that Friday was a good day, not just for the preparation of a delicious meal, but for keeping our culinary traditions alive.

Have You tried this soup 🍲 before? @alli001, @fortwis09 and @xkool24 please let's hear from y'all.
“And Thanks for engaging my diary”