ABAK AFANG SOUP Serves 4-6,

1Kg / 2Ihassorted meats (beef oxtail, tripe, ponmo, bokoto & bushmeat,,
450g lib stockfish (pre-soaked),
1 medium dry fish (washed & flaked),
450g / lib afang leaves (pounded),
225g/8oz periwinkle (top & tailed),
225g / 8oz ground chillies,
225g / 8oz ground crayfish,
lit / 2pints palm-nut concentrate,
salt to taste,

Wash the meat thoroughly and place in a large pot. Season with salt and ground chillies. Add some stock and cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wash the oil-palm and cook until soft to make the concentrate. Add the washed smoked fish and stockfish to the pot of boiling meat and cook for 10 minutes. Add the palmoil concentrate, bring to the boil and cook till slightly reduced and soup coats of a,spoon. Add the pounded afang leaves and periwinkles. Stir in the crayfish and cook for 15minutes until well blended. Check seasoning and serve with pounded yam.,

TO MAKE OIL - PALM CONCENTRATE,
l kg/2Ib oil-palm kernels,
3pints hot water,

Wash the palm kernels and place to cook in a clean pot with some water. Bring to the boil and cook until tender. Drain and place kernels in a mortar, pound to pulp. Mix pulp with hot Water and squeeze to remove oil. Pass through a sieve to separate the kernels and shaft. Canned palm-nut concentrate which is readily available in shops and supermarkets could be used instead.

Courtesy of Laura Edet