Afang leaves (okazi) substitutes

The same leaf, already shredded and often lightly pounded, which is the form nearly everyone cooks with anyway. Sold in bags by African grocers under any of its regional names.

Best for

afang soup, okazi soup, eru, mixed vegetable soups

Rinse it briefly and squeeze it out before it goes in, since the packing liquid can carry a bitter edge. It still needs a real simmer, so treat it like fresh and add it early.

The best widely available match because collards stay springy rather than dissolving, which is the whole point of afang. Stack the leaves, roll them into a tight cigar and slice as thin as you can manage, then simmer 10 to 15 minutes so they soften in liquid.

Best for

afang soup, okazi soup, edikang ikong

Milder and sweeter than afang, with a mild cabbage note instead of afang's faintly bitter, tea-like savour. The chew is close enough that most people notice the flavour difference before the texture one.

More available than collards in many places and it keeps some spring, though it softens further than afang does. Strip the stems out and shred the leaves as finely as possible.

Best for

afang soup, okazi soup, mixed greens soups

Tastes greener and more cabbagey than afang and can go slightly slimy if boiled past 20 minutes. Lacinato holds its texture better than curly kale.

Traditional afang soup is a partnership: afang supplies the chew and spinach or waterleaf supplies the soft, wet green bulk. This combination covers both jobs with two supermarket bags. Add the kale early and the spinach in the last 3 minutes.

Best for

afang soup, okazi soup, edikang ikong

This is the practical weeknight version. It reads a little sweeter and softer overall than the real thing but keeps the two-texture character that makes the soup interesting.

Worth considering because afang has a mild bitterness that plain collards and kale do not, and mustard greens supply bitterness along with a firm leaf that survives simmering.

Best for

afang soup, cooked greens soups, stews with palm oil and dried fish

The mustardy sharpness is more pungent and sinus-clearing than afang's quiet bitterness. Use young leaves and consider mixing them half and half with collards so the pungency does not take over the pot.

A genuinely close cousin in character: a fibrous forest leaf with a mild bitterness that stays with you rather than melting away, sold frozen and pre-pounded at African and Brazilian grocers.

Best for

afang soup, West and Central African greens stews, saka saka style dishes

Important safety point: cassava leaves contain natural cyanogenic compounds and must be thoroughly cooked, so simmer them at least 20 to 30 minutes and never eat them raw or barely cooked. Because of that long cook they go softer than afang and give a deeper, more earthy flavour.