HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS EKWANG

4.67 from 3 votes
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When you love someone and you want to express your love, make them some Ekwang. That is if the person knows what Ekwang is. It is one of the meals I cooked to declare my love for Mr N in the good old days.

Bowl of Ekwang

Making Ekwang is a process which involves grating, wrapping then wrapping some more. This thing could take some hours of your life. But there’s a reward. The reward is the scrumptiousness.

There’s never enough Ekwang when I make some. It disappears fast! It’s the kind of food I dig into with no cutlery.

Close up of ekwang on a plate

It is rich in ethnic flavours: crayfish, palm oil. So finger-licking good! It is the perfect meal for a contri geh like me. Watch me whipping it up below!

So what is Ekwang? It is grated cocoyams tied in cocoyam leaves and cooked with palm oil and other aromatic ingredients. This is one of the dishes that reminds me of the similarities between Nigerians and Cameroonians.

The Efiks and Ibibios in Nigeria prepare something very similar which they call “Ekpang Nkukwo.” In Cameroon, it is called, “Ekwang”. Some people call it, “Ekpang” while others call it, “Ekwang Coco”. It is a staple of the Bafaw people of the South West region of Cameroon but widely eaten in the rest of the country. Because it is so good!

landscape picture of ekwang
The ingredients used in making Ekwang include cocoyams, cocoyam leaves, palm oil, crayfish, smoked fish and spices depending on preferences. I always add in some freshly blended garlic and ginger paste and some chopped onions.
 
Ekwang ingredients on countertop.

The cocoyams used in making Ekwang are a particular specie. They are longer and slimmer than other types of cocoyams. They are either white or pink on the inside. In stores here, they are labelled, “taro white” or “taro pink” while in Cameroon, they are locally called, “macabo coco”. For a successful Ekwang dish, please get the right cocoyams. Then you peel the life out of them.

Bowls of peeled and unpeeled cocoyams.
 If you can not find cocoyam leaves for wrapping, feel free to use any green leaves. I have used potato leaves before. Others have used spinach and they say it works well. Any green leaves should be fine. Just make sure they have no holes so they keep your grated cocoyams secure. In this recipe, I used collard greens.
 
Fresh collard greens for Ekwang.
 
 Grate your cocoyams into a paste. You could use a food processor but I love going the old-fashioned way with a grater. The texture it gives is unbeatable.
 
Grating ekwang on a box grater.
 
Then you wrap the cocoyam paste in leaves. Please watch the video to see how I wrap them.
 
Wrapping ekwang in green leaves.
 
I always rejoice at the sight of this!
 
Cocoyam paste wrapped in leaves and in a skillet.
 
When all the wrapping is done you dump in the other ingredients and make a heartwarming pot of Ekwang. Be still, my heart.
 
Pot of cooked ekwang.
 
Make some soon! Check out the printable recipe below for all details.
Bowl of Ekwang

Ekwang

4.67 from 3 votes
A Cameroonian delicacy typically made by the Bafaw people of the South West region of Cameroon. It features grated cocoyams, wrapped in green leafy vegetables then simmered with crayfish, palm oil and other ethnic spices.
Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 people

Ingredients  

  • 8 large “macabo” cocoyams white and pink mixed
  • 6 bunches cocoyam leaves (or spinach/collard greens)
  • 2 pounds smoked fish/stock fish/beef do a mix or choose 1
  • 1 1/2 cups palm oil
  • 2 cups crayfish
  • 1 habanero pepper – blended optional
  • 1 medium sized onion-chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground “contry onions” (rondelles) optional
  • 2 tablespoons blended garlic and ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
  • 3 seasoning cubes (Maggi) or 1 1/2 large crayfish seasoning cubes (Maggi crevette)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions 

  • Peel cocoyams and grate to a paste using a grater with small holes. You could alternatively use a food processor to bring the cocoyams to a paste. Season the paste with a quarter teaspoon of salt and mix together well.
  • Coat a large pot with palm oil the way you will coat a pan with oil/margarine to bake a cake. Take a teaspoon of cocoyam and place at one end of a leaf and start wrapping until you get to the end.  Please see the video.
  • Repeat wrapping process until the paste is finished. Make sure you place your little wraps in criss-cross patterns so the stock goes round well.
  • Add every other ingredient mentioned above to the wrapped cocoyams. Add 2-4 cups of water and bring to a boil. If you have stock from boiled meat or something, use it instead of water.
  • Let it cook together for 30 minutes. Half-way through the cooking, check to see if you need to add more water. If the liquid is at the same level as the wraps then it is good. Avoid stirring so you don't unwrap the little wraps. This is what I do: I hold the pot on both handles and shake so every ingredient mixes nicely and evenly. If you must stir, use a wooden spoon and run it around the edges of the pot. 
  • Taste, adjust seasonings if need be and voila! Ekwang is ready! Serve warm. 

Notes

The sweetest part is the burnt portion under the pot. My brother and I will fight for this. Enjoy your Ekwang!

Nutrition

Calories: 727kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 201mg | Sodium: 1005mg | Potassium: 2603mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 24142IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 349mg | Iron: 9mg

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cameroonian
Calories: 727
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!

About Precious

Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.


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20 Comments

  1. It IS so so nice your recipe really helped me in m’y cooking compétition thanks so much may God bless u .🙏🙏🙏