GT Food Talk: How To Prepare Tasty Ekpang Nkwukwo

Ekpang Nkwukwo is a cocoyam recipe eaten mainly in Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom States. This special delicacy is relished by many and the taste is mouth-watering. However, the preparation process is time consuming.

Ingredients

5 medium sized cocoyams

4 medium sized water yams (Optional)

A big bunch of Vegetable (Pumpkin or tender cocoyam leaves)

Palm oil (A generous quantity)

Grated cocoyam

1 medium sized onion (sliced)

1 tablespoon grinded crayfish

2 milk cups shelled periwinkles

Assorted beef and offal

1 medium sized dried fish

1 tablespoon dry pepper

Salt to taste

Seasoning

Direction

Wash and steam the beef, goat meat and offal’s with salt and seasoning. Chop into sizes you desire and set aside. Debone and wash dry fish and chop into any size you desire. Wash periwinkle thoroughly in random motion, then add salt to it and leave for about 10 minutes to allow dirt’s float to the surface. Pour out water and set aside.

Peel, wash and grate the cocoyam preferably with a local wooden grater to get that smooth paste you need. Mix cocoyam with salt and seasoning, then set aside. Wash pumpkin leaves properly, and tear into medium size if leaf is too big.

Prepare the pot by rubbing a generous amount of red palm oil at the base and sides of the pot. If you will be using shelled periwinkles, set these at the base of the well oiled pot.

Scoop a small quantity of the grated cocoyam into a piece of the pumpkin leaf per time and wrap the cocoyam properly with the leaf and place in the pot. Repeat this procedure until all the grated cocoyam is exhausted.

Then add either hot water or meat stock to the level of the content.

Then add your dry pepper, crayfish, dry fish, onions, assorted beef, offal’s, seasoning, salt to taste and a generous amount of palm oil. Do not stir; just allow to cook for another 15 minutes.  Stir with a wooden spoon and allow to simmer for another five minutes and your Ekpang Nkwukwo is ready.

You should however note that Ekpang Nkwukwo is tastier the next day.