A Taste of Culture in My Kitchen: Learning How to cook Ekpankuko

Hello dear Steem family 🤍
I hope you are all doing great today. I’m excited to share a beautiful and emotional kitchen experience with you all.

One morning, I woke up staring at the water yam in my kitchen, wondering what exactly to do with it. I didn’t feel like eating it with oil, and porridge yam didn’t appeal to me either. While thinking, I suddenly remembered Ekpankuko, one of the special delicacies Akwa Ibom people are well known for. That simple thought sparked my curiosity and pushed me to try something new.

I quickly reached out to one of my closest friends to ask how Ekpankuko is prepared. He patiently asked if I already had some of the ingredients and then mentioned what I needed to buy. When he said water yam and cocoyam and I told him I already had them, I felt relieved. He then advised me to buy periwinkles, meat, and fish — depending on my pocket. In a kind gesture, he also helped by bringing fresh potato leaves and cocoyam leaves for me.

When everything was set, he assisted me in peeling both the water yam and cocoyam. They were ground together using a local blender. Watching him mix everything by hand made me realize that Ekpankuko is more than food — it is culture, patience, and tradition coming together. The mixture was then carefully wrapped with the fresh leaves, each wrap carrying the beauty of Akwa Ibom heritage.

Cooking time came, and hot water was added to the pot. As the Ekpankuko cooked, my kitchen was filled with excitement and pride. I felt emotional knowing I was learning something deeply rooted in another culture. It challenged me, but at the same time, it taught me something valuable and memorable.

Please watch the video, where the steps are clearly shown.

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my post. I’ll be happy to hear from you — have you ever eaten or prepared Ekpankuko before? 🤗💚