Afang Soup

Ingredients

• 300g afang (okazi) leaves, finely shredded or ground
• 500g waterleaf (2 bunches), washed and chopped
• 500g beef, cut into chunks
• 200g cow skin (kanda/ponmo), cleaned and sliced
• 150g beef tripe (shaki), cleaned and sliced
• 100g dried stockfish, soaked and shredded
• 100g dried catfish, cleaned and flaked
• 1 cup (240ml) red palm oil
• 1/2 cup ground crayfish
• 1-2 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 seasoning cubes
• Salt, to taste
• 1 cup periwinkles, cleaned (optional)

Before you cook

• Soak the dried stockfish in hot water until softened, then remove any bones and shred the flesh into small pieces
• Wash the okazi leaves and shred or grind them finely (traditionally pounded to a slight chew, not a paste)
• Wash the waterleaf and chop it roughly
• Clean and cut the beef, cow skin, and tripe into bite-size chunks
• Chop the scotch bonnet pepper
• Grind the crayfish to a coarse powder

Steps

1. Put the beef, cow skin, and tripe into a large pot with the chopped onion and two of the seasoning cubes
2. Pour in just enough water to cover the meat
3. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-high heat for 35-40 minutes, until the beef is tender
4. Add the soaked, shredded stockfish and the dried catfish to the pot
5. Simmer for another 10 minutes so the fish flavors the stock
6. Pour the palm oil into the pot
7. Stir in the ground crayfish and the chopped scotch bonnet
8. Let the pot simmer for 5 minutes so the palm oil loses its raw smell
9. Add the chopped waterleaf and stir it down into the hot stock
10. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the waterleaf wilts and releases its liquid
11. Add the shredded afang (okazi) leaves to the pot
12. Stir everything together so the leaves are coated in palm oil and stock
13. Taste the soup and add salt and the remaining seasoning cube as needed
14. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and the soup thickens
15. Stir in the periwinkles if using and let them warm through for 2 minutes
16. Take the pot off the heat once the soup looks dense and holds together rather than looking watery