How to Prepare Atama Soup with Waterleaf

Atama leaf is aromatic, even floral and it is delicious in soups. There are different ways to cook with Atama leaf, in this post I used it to prepare a vegetable soup paired with waterleaf. It is similar to the way Afang soup is cooked. Atama leaf can be added to banga in Abak Atama, fresh or dried. In its dry form, called beletienten, it is added to the Niger Delta Banga soup to add great flavour to it. Atama can also be used in making awesome Egusi Soup.

Atama is prevalent in Akwa-Ibom and Cross River States of South-south Nigeria, to the Ibibios and Efiks. It can be bought fresh in the open markets and also dry, especially for people outside Nigeria (Diaspora). The fresh Atama leaves have a more pronounced flavour than the dry although both can be used for the soup.

My first encounter with Atama soup was in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. It is not common outside the Niger Delta region of Nigeria unlike Afang (Okazi or ukazi) used in making Afang soup. My Rennaisance man can eat Atama soup and Editan soup, another Niger Delta favourite, back to back for days especially when made with periwinkles still in their shell and snails.

To process Atama leaves, you will have to slice them very thinly, which requires good knife-handling skills. Fortunately, the Atama leaf sellers usually do the slicing.

How to make Atama soup using waterleaf

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)
300g Waterleaf
salt

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 Palmoil 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.

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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.

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, party, Soup, stew

Cuisine niger delta, Nigerian

Keyword Afang, atama, beletietien, bushmeat, Editan Soup, health food, nigerian sauce, nigerian soup, spicy, swallow, vegetable soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author gaga

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.