MY TRADITIONAL DISH [AFANG SOUP WITH POUNDED YAM] ALSO KNOWN AS EDIKIAKONG

It is a pleasure to be part of this wonderful community and also having the opportunity to take part is this wonderful write up challenge.

This post is been made in regard to the chosen topic to write on which is basically on Our TRADITIONAL DISH.

So I will be writing on a more popular one which is known across most part of my country Nigeria. The name of this dish is Afang Soup. It is a typical traditional dish of the Akwa-ibom and Cross River State of Nigeria which is generally known in the country as the calabar people.

So my mom happen to be a native of One of these states which is Cross River State so I decided to write on her side reason being that i majorly grew up with my mom and don't have much knowledge of how most meals in my dads place is been prepared. Not withstanding my mom does all the cooking so I stand a chance of learning more from her when it comes to things of the kitchen.

With this all said, Below are the various required ingredients for preparing this meal and hence follows the recipe for cooking it, I will say my own recipe though.

REQUIRED INGREEDIENTS
Since this soup falls under the class of vegetables it preparation is more of that kind just that it leaves are stronger than the regular vegetable leaves like Pumpking leaves, Green leaves, etc.

• The First thing you will need is the Afang leaves itself
• there is also another vegetable needed called the waterleave which is use as a softener. (As earlier said, the afang leave is quite a strong, so the waterleave is use to soften it).
• Red oil is needed (compulsory)
• Some Sea foods like; the crayfish, fish, stock fish, etc.
• Meat
• Some amount of water (like 2-3 tea cup).
• There is one other sea food which is locally called nfi it is also used which is popularly known as periwinkle
• Small amount of raw salt
• some cubes of maggi
• Either fresh pepper or the dried pepper
• Some fruits of Onion
  
  METHOD OF PREPARATION
  

Having gotten all the listed items above, this are therefore the steps of putting them into use.

• The first thing that is to be done is tho get the afang and water leaves cut. ( Normally here we buy the already sliced afang in the market, so when we get home is to start the preparation of the meal). NOt forgetting the Nfi I mentioned, you will have to cut (the tail of it) this for it is a little hard and to do away with the bitter part.

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• With the already sliced afang, If you bought some fresh fish you will need to cut the fish into halfs of your taste, wash it clean, as do the meat you bought then you will have to steam them together. Note if you are using the stockfish too you will have to roast (expose the stock fish to some heat, this is done to make it soften quick when steaming) then wash and make sure it has been on the fire for like 10-20minutes before adding the nfi allow to boil for some time then add the fish and meat. Add a little pepper, a cube of maggi, little salt, a fruit of onion for those who eat much of it. After this are all on the fire allow to steeam for some time at low temperature of the your fire (gas cooker).

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• Once the above step is done, drop down the put from the fire and put another clean put on the gas cooker, pour in some reasonable amount you know will be okay for the meal, allow the red oil to get a little hot then put in the already cut water leaf and start stiring. Note: This is done to eradicate the slippery nature of the water leaf. Stear until the slippery and sticky nature reduces.

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• AFter the above is done, you will have to put in the already steamed ingredients (the fish, nfi, meat, stockfish, etc.) and stear. If too thick add a cup of water (teacup) stear to the mix allow to boil for like 3minutes then add other ingredients like Maggi, salt, the chopped onion, allow to boil for like 2 minutes then you can put in you already cut afang.

NOTE: Most person do pound their afand reason been that not everyone like it long and it also helps reduce the strong nature

• After the afang is in the put allow to boil for like 10-15minutes at normal heat temperature, stear at some point, allow to heat for like 5minutes then drop down the put from the fire.

Bingo you have been able to prepare a very good traditional dish. This is very much valuable in my place and it is one of my favorite meals.

I will like to let you all know that this soup is been served with the following listed.

• Eba (garri) (made from cassava)
• fufu (made from cassava)
• Pounded Yam
• Semovita
• Weith etc.

But I do prepare mine with pounded yam.
for making a pounded yam, you will need some tubers of yam, depending on how many people are eating the meal.

• you will need to peal the yam
  
  
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• put it on the fire allow to boil, when it is ready/soft
• Drop it, then pound by using a moter.
  

  
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  Once all these procedures are followed and met what you should have is this.

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  I will conclude by saying this is simply my own way of preparing this meal, as learned from my mom. Everybody has he/her style of preparation.

  I must confess it is one interesting meal to have.
  THANKS FOR READING THROUGH .