If you find yourself in Akwa Ibom, also known as the Land of Promise, we can promise you that what to eat will be the least of your worries. Akwa Ibom state has so many delicious options that it will be difficult to decide what to eat.
The traditional diet in Akwa Ibom is dominated by vegetables, sea foods and domestic animals. It is also noteworthy that it shares most of the delicacies on this list with its neighbours, especially Cross River.
Ekpang Nkukwo
Also known as cocoyam pottage, Ekpang Nkukwo is a native meal commonly eaten in the south-south eastern part of Nigeria. It is commonly eaten by the Efiks (Cross River) and the Ibibios (Akwa Ibom State).
It is made of freshly grated cocoyam, then wrapped in leafy greens and slowly simmered with various types of fresh or smoked meat, fish, periwinkles, crayfish, red oil and other spices depending on the cook’s preference until cooked to perfection.
Fisherman soup
Fisherman soup is a simple soup made with fish and other seafood as its protein source. It is indigenous to the riverine communities of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa.
There are different recipes for making this soup, exclusive to different communities within the Niger Delta. While some people use Tomatoes in preparing this food, others do not. Some people use Okro while others do not. While some people use Garri to thicken the soup, while others use pounded yam or cocoyam.
If you like seafood, this soup is definitely for you.
Abak Atama Soup
Abak Atama Soup is a delicious palm nut soup, native to the Efiks/Ibibio people of southern Nigeria. This delicacy requires lots of condiments like smoked fish, meat, seafood like periwinkle, stockfish, crayfish, pepper and salt. It can be served with boiled yam, plantain, foo-foo, pounded yam, garri or rice.
This traditional Nigerian soup is very similar to Banga soup; the significant difference is the Atama leaves which give the Abak Atama soup its distinctive taste and aroma. Atama leaf is an aromatic vegetable, wildly grown in southern Nigeria but can also be found in eastern boundaries.
Edikang Ikong soup
Edikang Ikong soup is a nutritious Nigerian soup recipe made with a generous amount of fresh leafy vegetables, dried fish and assorted meat.
It is usually prepared with a combination of two different vegetables; Ikong Ubong /Ugwu leaves(fluted pumpkin leaves) and water leaves; but in the absence of both, Spinach, Kale and Lamb lettuce/Mache(Valerianella locusta) can be used as alternatives.
Like most soups from these coastal regions, this dish comes loaded with various seafood delicacies (periwinkles being a regular staple) and assorted meats.
Afia Efere (white soup)
Afia efere (white soup) is essentially soup without oil. Traditionally, it must be prepared with goat meat or chicken, in which case it is called ‘ Afia Efere Ebot ’ or ‘ Afia Efere Unen ’ respectively.
This soup is known popularly as white soup although it doesn’t look white in colour and uses fewer ingredients than its Igbo twin, Ofe Nsala.
Did we get you salivating? You can discover more delicious meals from ‘the land of Promise’ by booking a trip to Akwa Ibom here. Or download the GIGM App now to experience the joy of road travel.
