List of Calabar soups (All types of Akwa Ibom soup Listed)
The Efik and Ibibios form a larger part of the Southern regions- Calabar and Akwa Ibom natives and trust me, these. This article entails a list of popular Calabar and Akwa Ibom soups with their recipes and side dishes.
Continue reading for more details.
List of Calabar and akwa ibom Soups
1. Edikang Ikong:
Also known as “Vegetable Soup”, Edikang Ikong is one of the popular soups eaten in Calabar and Akwa Ibom. It is made from pumpkin (ugwu) and water leaves with a blend of assorted meat, seafood, and other basic ingredients like smoked fish, crayfish, pepper, palm oil, meat, salt and seasoning cubes. Edikang Ikong can be served with Garri, Semovita, Fufu or even Boiled yam.
2. Editan Soup:
As the name implies, Editan soup is made mainly from the Editan leaf, a vegetable which is slimy in nature and has a little bitter taste. It is a rich vegetable soup that comprises of the use of both Editan and water leaves, along side other basic ingredients. It is commonly served with Eba or Garri.
3. Afang Soup:
Afang soup is a special popular soup amongst the Calabar and Akwa Ibom locals, extending to other regions. This delicacy is made from water leaves and marshed okazi leaves, known natively as “mmong mmong ikong”. These leaves are excellent sources of vitamins. Spiced up with ingredients such as dried fish, crayfish, meat, pepper, stockfish, salt, and palm oil, and stockfish, Afang soup can be served with pounded Yam, Fufu, Garri etc.
READ ALSO: List of Igbo soups in Nigeria
4. Ekpang Nkukwo:
This is one of the traditional expensive dishes of the people of Akwa Ibom. It is made from grated cocoyam into ball-like shape which is then wrapped in special cocoyam leaves, along side other basic ingredients.
5. Afia Efere:
Known popularly as the white soup, Afia Efere is commonly prepared with either beef, chicken or goat meat. In this case the soup is referred to as “afia efere unen” or “afia efere ebot”. However, fresh fish and other Offals can be used too. Typically Afia efere is eaten with pounded yam, but can be served also with Fufu or Garri.
6. Abak Soup:
Abak soup is made from oil palm fruit and vegetables. Ingredients such as dried fish, crayfish, meat, pepper, stockfish, salt, periwinkle, and stockfish can be added as well. This delicacy can be served with any kind of swallow including Fufu, Garri, Boiled Yam, Rice or even plantain.
7. Afere Ikong:
Also known as Melon soup. Afere Ikong is made from grounded melon seeds, and any vegetable of your choice; could be water leaves, ugwu or bitter leaf (etidot). Offals such as meat, fish, dried or smoked fish, stockfish, periwinkle can be added, with other soup ingredients.
8. Abak Atama Soup:
Abak Atama soup is a delicacy popular amongst the Ibibios of Akwa Ibom State in Southern Nigeria. Major ingredients used in making this soup include palm nut fruit oil extract known locally as Abak and the Atama Leaves. Other soup ingredients are also added to enhance the flavor and taste of the soup. It can be consumed with any swallow of your choice, but goes best with Garri, Fufu and Pounded yam. This is however an indigenous soup of the Calabar and Akwa Ibom natives, unlike the Banga soup.
9. Otong Afere Atike:
Known as Okra soup, Otong Afere Atike is a delicacy made from okra fruit and any vegetable of your choice with meat, fish, or periwinkle and other soup ingredients. It can be served with Fufu, Pounded yam, Garri or Anyan ekpang, foo-foo, garri or pounded yam.
Credit: Sisijemimah
10. Afere Atidod:
Known as Bitter leaf soup, Afere Atidod is one of the popular dishes in Akwa Ibom state. Method of preparation includes a combination of bitter leaves and water leaves. Other ingredients such as dried fish, crayfish, meat, pepper, stockfish, salt, and palm oil, and stockfish can be included. It is then spiced with assorted meats, prawns, snails, periwinkle etc, as so desired.
11. Ibaba Soup:
Ibaba soup is a common soup typically prepared by the Efiks, Ibibios and even the Igbos. Made from Ibaba seeds, preparation involves removing the shells of the seeds, and then cooking it until bleached (the colour of the water changes from black). Afterwards, these seeds are grounded and used as a source of thickener for the soup. Vegetables such as Oha, Ugwu or Uziza, Okazi can be used to enhance the flavor and taste of the soup.
12. Afere Ndek Iyak:
Also known as the “Fisherman’s soup”, Afere Ndek Iyak is a delicacy for the people who live in riverine or coastal areas of the Southern regions of Nigeria, as there is easy accessibility to different species of fish. Similar to the Rivers native soup, this soup is made from fish broth/stock and palm oil. It is a common soup for the people of Akwa Ibom, Uyo, and Efik locals.
13. Banga Soup:
Similar to the Atama soup but a little variation due to the different spices and vegetables used, Banga soup origin can be traced down to the Niger Delta. It is prepared by cooking palm nut at a very high temperature to extract the oil, which is then used in cooking the soup. Meat, shrimps, fish, goat meat, fish, spices and other soup ingredients can be added. It can go with any swallow of your choice, but is typically served with either starch, fufu, garri (eba), or pounded yam.
A short video of Akwa Ibom Soups:
Video Source: Nigeria Health Blog
CREDIT:
Stella-maris Achumba
This article is the intellectual property of www.nimedhealth.com.ng
