Cuisine
Akwa Ibom is well known nationally for its exciting and rich culture. It is highly gifted in culinary culture as it is reputed for its salivating variety of standard cuisines. Its meals are often described as irresistible and of outstanding preference. As the State lies within the tropical rain forest zone, vegetables, seafood and domestic animals dominate her traditional diets as most of these food items are in season for a greater part of the year.
The list of salivating dishes in Akwa Ibom culture can be long. We are are well versed in using farm produce like cassava, maize, yam, cocoyam, vegetables and so on to create a variety of meals to suit various periods of the day and occasions. Thus the state’s food preparation skills have resulted in the national appreciation of some of its dishes. Some of these delicacies of Akwa Ibom include;
Edikang Ikong – This is a soup of sliced pumpkin and water leaves with a rich variety of seafood and meat. Other important ingredients are smoked fish, crayfish, pepper, palm oil, meat, salt and little water. The food is served with boiled yam, garri or foo-foo (boiled cassava flour).
Afang Soup – This is a delicacy made from shredded ‘afang’ and waterleaves. Other ingredients are smoked fish, meat, crayfish, salt, pepper, palm oil, and stockfish with little water. It could be served with foo-foo, pounded yam, garri (toasted cassava flour) etc.
Abak Soup – This is prepared from oil palm fruit and leaves. This delicacy requires lots of condiments like, smoked fish, meat, seafood like periwinkle, stockfish, crayfish, pepper and salt. It could be served with boiled yam, plantain, foo-foo, pounded yam, garri or rice.
Ekpang Nkukwo – The delicacy is made from cocoyam, water yam, and cocoyam leaves. Other ingredients like pepper, salt, palm oil, crayfish, maggi, fish, periwinkle and other recipes.
Afia Afere Obot – It is a combination of spices used for traditional ceremonies. Goat meat, smoked fish and stockfish bring out the best of it.
Otong Afere Atike – This is a delicacy made from okra fruit and vegetable with fish, meat, periwinkle and other soup ingredient, served with Anyan ekpang, foo-foo, garri or pounded yam.
Afere Ikon – Made from melon seed, bitter leaf (etidot) and waterleaves with fish, meat, stockfish, periwinkle and other soup ingredients.
Edesi Isip (coconut rice) – The rice is prepared with coconut milk and other ingredients like goat meat, smoked fish, prawns, pepper, salt and crayfish.
Asa Iwa (cassava porridge) – This is grated cassava, wrapped in tender Cocoyam leaves and cooked in palm oil stew.
Oto Ebre (water yam porridge) -Grated water yam is prepared with fish, crayfish and pepper. For this particular dish palm oil is not needed
Asa Akpakpa (corn porridge) – Is a product of grated corn, vegetable, fish, palm oil and other soup ingredients.
Edita Iwa – Is an appetizer made from cassava tuber usually served with coconut, salted or fresh fish and pear.
Ayan Ekpang - Is a form of foo-foo produced from cocoyam or cassava, wrapped in plantain leaves. It is served with Afere Abak. Among numerous others.
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