Abak Atama Soup Recipe

This recipe is related to the Efik and Ibibio tribe of Southern Nigeria. It is a very delicious and classic soup to be served with pounded yam, semovita or Eba (garri).

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Ingredients:

• 1kg assorted meats (beef, ponmo, shaki, oxtail, bushmeat/game, trip etc)
• 225g fresh hot chillies, ground
• 60ml stock
• 450g stock fish
• 1 medium smoked and dried fish, washed and flaked
• 1 cup red palm oil
• 225g atama leaves, washed and finely shredded (can substitute with tarragon)
• 225g periwinkle (Tympanotonus fustcatus), removed from their shells
• 225g ground crayfish
• 2 stock cubes
• Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Soak the stock fish in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften it, then wash properly
• Thoroughly wash the meat then place in a large pot and season with salt and the ground chillies. Add the stock, cover the pot tightly and cook for 30 minutes
• Heat the palm oil until liquid and set aside. 
• After 20 minutes, add the stock fish and the smoked fish to the pot with the meat and allow to cook for 10 more minutes
• Add in the heated palm oil and the shredded atama leaves (or tarragon) and stir well to mix
• Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, uncovered, until it's thickened sufficiently to coat the back of a spoon
• Stir in the crayfish, salt, stock cubes and periwinkles. And cook further for 15 minutes, or until the periwinkles are cooked through
• Remove from heat and serve preferably with pounded yam, semolina,  eba (garri) or any other swallow of your choice