Atama Soup for dinner by @mexacliff

Hello beautiful women, hope you all had a beautiful day. Am here to share my dinner story. Atama Soup was slated for dinner this night, here is how I prepared it.

Atama (in efik) is actually a leaf botanically called: Heinsia crinita. It is one of the leaves usually used to make soup by Akwaibom people of Nigeria.

Source the health benefits of this leaf is also mentioned in this source.

It is either cooked with waterleaf or with banga (palm fruit extract), but my family prefers the banga style, and that's the one am sharing.

Recipe
Atama leaves
Banga (palm fruit)
Meat of choice (I used chicken)
Seasoning cubes
Stockfish and fish
Pepper, salt, crayfish

Procedure
I first washed the chicken and put it on fire to steem. I added seasoning cubes, a mild one is preferred since it is soup.

I then washed the palm fruits and put on the second fire. Allow to boil till it's soft.

While both pots are on fire, I pounded the crayfish and set it aside.

The Atama I bought in the market is the already shredded one, because of time factor.

Boil water, pour into the already shredded atama till it is submerged, drain and set aside.

When the palm fruits got soft, I brought it down, sifted the water out using a stainless sifter, and turned the palm fruits in the mortar. It is best to pound it while still hot.

I pounded it till it got to the level shown below

Meanwhile, the chicken is done, and I turned off the gas cylinder to get the banga ready. I added water to the banga in the mortar, and used hand to mix it very well with the water. The water I added is the amount of water I will be using for the soup. I added 2 cups of water first.

I then sifted using a sieve, then poured it back to the mortar added 1 more cup of water and sifted it again.

This is the remaining chaff. It can be kept to dry and the palm kernel eaten.

This is what is needed in the soup, so with this, palm oil isn't needed. Put on fire add the already steamed meat, fish, stockfish and any other thing you want and leave to boil. Add crayfish seasoning cubes, salt to taste, pepper as desired. On boiling, there is an option of adding grinded melon as thickening agent, but my mum doesn't like it so I didn't use that.

When the taste is ok, added the Atama leaf, stir and allow to boil. The amount of leaf added depends on choice. We love it light so I didn't add much. Allow to boil for few minutes and bring it down. Your delicious atama Soup is ready.

Choose what to eat it with. I ate with Garri (cassava flakes).

I sat comfortably so I can enjoy it.

I still have some in the pot in case you care.