How to cook Atama soup using waterleaf
Atama leaf is aromatic and floral and it is delicious in soups. It is prepared as a vegetable soup paired with waterleaf.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups sliced Atama
- 1½ cups Periwinkle in shell
- Beef/Ponmo
- Stockfish
- Dryfish
- 1½ cups Palm oil
- ¾ cup crayfish
- 4 Seasoning cubes
- 1 medium onion
- Scotch bonnet fresh pepper
- 300 g Waterleaf
- salt
Instructions
- Wash and pound Atama leaves using a mortar and pestle, the dry mill of your blender or food processor, and set aside. You can also grind it in an open market in Nigeria.
- Using a big knife cut off the tails (pointed end) of the periwinkle (or use a plier). Wash in several changes of water until the water is clear.
- Wash the meat and Ponmo, place in a pot, and season with salt and seasoning cube. Add a little water and place over medium heat.
- Cook until the meat and ponmo have softened.
- Rinse and add stockfish. Cook until meat is tender.
- Soak dry fish in boiling hot water for one minute, drain and rinse well with cold water.
- Add dry fish, Periwinkle, crayfish and seasoning cubes. Stir well and taste, add salt.
- Add Palm oil and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add waterleaf and onions, stir in Atama leaf and cook for a further 5 minutes and take off the heat.
- Serve with a swallow or Ayan Ekpang.
Notes
- For dry Atama leaves, soak in water until it softens a bit. Drain and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- If using deshelled periwinkles, add them with Atama leaves.
- If using frozen fish or fresh fish (depending on the size), season and set aside then add after adding Palm oil.
- When using large fresh fish cuts, steam seasoned fish for 3-5 minutes before adding them to the soup.
- Fresh or dry prawns, shrimps, periwinkles, snails etc. are all delicious in Atama soup.
