Hearty and soothing vegetable-packed edikaikong soup is the perfect Nigerian comfort food. Edikangikong is a flavoursome and healthy vegetable soup to the Efik– Ibibio people of Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State of southeastern Nigeria. A refreshing and fragrant Nigerian-style veg-packed soup, this soup is sure to become a new seasonal favourite for you. While you can blend various seasonal Nigerian ingredients together to make this delicious soup, here’s our edikaikong soup step-by-step recipe. Let’s get you started with fresh flavours and ingredients!
Ingredients
for 8 servings
- Vegetables; 1 ½kg pumpkin leaves, 1kg water leaves
- 400g beef
- 400g dry or smoked fish
- 600g assorted meat (ponmo and shaki)
- 1 medium stockfish
- 200g periwinkle, or shrimp
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 300ml palm oil, enough
- ½ cup crayfish, ground
- 3 bouillon cubes
- Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Alternatively, for those outside Nigeria, the vegetables can be substituted with fresh spinach, ground frozen spinach and lamb lettuce.
Method
- Wash, drain and slice the vegetables into tiny pieces. Set aside.
- Cut the beef, ponmo and shaki into cubes. Get rid of any fat trimmings and other scraps.
- In a pot, add little water and bring the beef, ponmo and shaki to cook with dry fish, onion and bouillon cubes. Cover with lid and cook on medium heat until tender and well done. Please avoid cooking with excess water, allow to cook with steam.
- When the meat is done, add enough palm oil, the oil always serves as base broth for edikaikong soup.
- Add crayfish, pepper and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Add the periwinkle/shrimp and the vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables are sautéed. Add salt to taste, stir to season the pot. Adjust pepper and salt, if desired. Cover with lid and cook for extra 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Serve edikaikong soup with your favourite Nigerian swallow – pounded yam, garri (eba), fufu, semolina, amala, etc.
- Enjoy!
See more Food recipes
