Ekpang Nkukwo is a stew dish made from cocoa yam and is native to the South-South region of Nigeria.
Similar to the Ikokore dish, popular with Ijebu people, Ekwang is, as it is commonly known, a treat you will want to try.
If you are adventurous with food, we recommend trying this dish over the weekend for a special guest as it requires a lot of commitment, and the recipe list is also quite long.
Although it may take some time to get used to it, once you have mastered the preparation method, you can continue.
Ingredients Required
- 5 tubers of cocoyam – grated to a paste (when buying, ask the small ones for Ekpang Nkukwo, not for boiling)
- Half water yam – also grated into a paste
- Mfi (shell periwinkle)
- a bottle of palm oil
- Ibat (dried fish)
- a cup of crayfish
- 5 Maggi cubes
- Fresh peppers
- Ntong leaf or Iko leaf (all seasoned)
- Many young cocoyam leaves, shredded to wrap (you can ask someone to help shred the leaves to cover the cocoyams in tender leaves)
- Ikpa, i.e., Ponmo, cut into pieces
- Snail (optional)
- Salt to taste
How To Prepare Ekpang Nkwuko
- Cut the meat into small pieces, season with salt, Maggi, and onion and cook until tender. Make sure you have at least 2 to 3 cups of meat broth. Use in the kitchen of this dish.
- With a sharp knife, peel the coconut yam, carefully peel the body, pull the paring knife over the yam body, and be careful not to remove the pit too much during the procedure.
- Look for damaged areas, such as bruising and discoloration, on Cocoyam while it is peeling. Remove the stains with the tip of a knife.
- Cut it into large pieces and wash immediately to avoid discoloration and leave them in cold water until needed.
- Press the cocoa in the food processor until golden or grate the cocoa in the oven. Add a little salt and set aside.
- Wash the leaves and tear them into medium pieces, making sure there are no cracks or holes.
- Lubricate a large saucepan with about ½ cup of palm oil. Put aside
- Place a tablespoon of the grated cocoa mixture on a baking sheet and wrap it well (to form the shape of your fingers), making sure the cocoa does not stick out.
- Arrange the coconut fingers wrapped in a jar of oil in a circle so that a hole remains in the middle.
- Repeat until the cocoa mixture is completely drained.
- Bring about 7 cups of water to a boil in a separate saucepan.
- Add the chopped onion, crabs, fish, meat, salt, pepper, diced broth, palm oil, and onion to the pan.
- Bring it over low heat for about 10 minutes, no need to stir it at this point until most ekwang companies add about 1/2 cup of meat broth to avoid burning.
- After you have pulled ekwang, add all the beef broth if you have it with about 3 cups of water or use 4 to 6 cups or more of hot water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about one hour until it is fully cooked. You can add more water to avoid burns.
The mixture should be kept to a minimum to prevent the ekwang from becoming pasty. - Adjust the consistency of the expander with water, salt, and pepper.
