Efik Specialty · Cocoyam in Leaves
Ekpang Nkukwo (Wrapped Cocoyam Rolls)
Photo: Artemisthe1st / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
The wrappers are young cocoyam leaves, so the whole parcel is eaten — leaf and all — rather than unwrapped.
Ekpang nkukwo is made by grating cocoyam and thinly slicing more cocoyam or unripe plantain, wrapping the mixture in cocoyam leaves, and slow-cooking the parcels in a palm-oil, periwinkle, and dried-fish sauce. It's a labor-intensive dish usually prepared for special occasions.
Why it's made this way: The elaborate wrapping and long cook time reflect the Efik tradition of turning cocoyam, a staple root crop, into an elevated dish worth the effort for gatherings and celebrations.
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