FabRecipe : Edikaikong Soup, Delicious Nigerian Dish

Ramses Wato -

If you have ever visited Nigeria, then I am sure one of your favourite dishes was Edikaikong Soup.

Edikaikong Soup is a vegetable soup that originated among the Efik people of Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State in Southeastern Nigeria. It is considered to be a delicacy among some Nigerians and is sometimes served during occasions of importance.

I.  How To Cook Edikaikong Soup?

Edikaikong Soup is a highly nutritious, delicious, and savory vegetable soup natively prepared using “Ugwu”, that is the native name for fluted pumpkin leaves, and “Malabar Spinach” that is locally called waterleaf in Nigeria.

  1. Edikaikong Soup recipe

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Resting time: 1h10 minutes

Ingredients

  1. 1 kg Spinach/fluted Pumpkin leaves (Ugwu)
  2. 200 g Water leaves
  3. 500 g of assorted meat (cow tripe, snails, cow’s skin (Kanda),
  4. Stockfish(optional)
  5. Smoked fish
  6. 250 ml palm oil
  7. 1 cup Periwinkles(optional), but it gives the soup a boost
  8. 2 tablespoons ground crayfish
  9. 2 stock cubes
  10. 1 medium sized onion
  11. 2 scotch bonnet Pepper a.k.a fresh pepper
  12. salt to taste

Cooking directions for Edikaikong Soup

  • For Edikaikong leaves
  1. Prepare the vegetables by washing and cutting them into tiny bits (thin slices preferably) and set aside.
  2. Wash and cut the assorted meat in bite-able sizes. Clean the periwinkles, dried fish and stock fish and set aside.
  • For Edikaikong Soup
  1. Firstly, cook the meat. Place the assorted meat and stock fish in the pot, add a little water, the chopped onion and one stock cube. Cook until all the meat is properly cooked and there is just a little liquid in the pot.
  2. When the meat is done, add the dried fish and periwinkle. Add the palm oil, the ground pepper and crayfish and leave to boil for about 10 minutes.
  3. Now add the water leaves (or lamb lettuce) and leave to cook for 3 minutes. Then add the Ikong Ubong /Ugu leaves (fluted pumpkin leaves) and salt to taste. Stir thoroughly and leave to simmer for 5 minutes on low heat and your Edikang Ikong soup is ready. Enjoy!

Edikaikong soup is usually served with the pounded yam, Fufu, wheat and semolina.

Miam Miam!!!

Enjoy yourself!!!