Edikaikong (Edikainkong) is a Nigerian soup made of leafy vegetables. This edikaikong recipe is easy and delicious. It is native to Calabar people and typically made with two types of vegetable namely ugwu (pumpkin) and water leaves.
For where these two leaves are not available they can be substituted with vegetables such as Spinach and Kale.
Edikaikong Recipe
This Nigerian Edikaikong always remind me of my friend Esi and this is because during my NYSC she introduced me to this soup and on the day, she served it with correct mortar pounded yam ( which she borrowed from our landlord...lol). The special treatment wasn't for us though as she had an August visitor. That was 1 of only two times she pounded yam for us.
I like this soup because apart from being delicious, it's high in nutrients. So let's cook:
Ingredients for Edikaikong Soup
500g pumpkin leaves (ugu)
1kg water leaves
3 red scotch bonnet
2 yellow scotch bonnet
1 brown onion (chopped)
Smoked dry catfish
Snails or/and periwinkles
Dry shawa fish (optional)
½ cup grounded crayfish
1 cup crayfish
Beef
Assorted meat ( shaki, ponmo, etc)
3 cooking spoons palmoil
2 bouillon (maggi cubes)
Salt
How to cook Edikaikong
1) Blend the scotch bonnets with half of the onions.
2) Wash the smoked fish by pouring hot water and salt on it, leave the fish in the water for 3 minutes then washout the dirt. Debone and shred the fish.
3) Boil the offals ( shaki, ponmo,etc) seperately and set aside. Wash and cut the vegetables seperately.
4) Boil the beef with 1 stock cube, the remaining half of the chopped onion and salt.
K’s Cuisine tip: Do not add water to the beef. Beef brings out water when boiling. Just boil (more like steaming) on low heat and watch the meat bring out water.
My mum never boils beef with water and remember Edikaikong is a no water added soup. The water from the beef and water leaves are all that’s needed for the soup.
5) When beef is done there will be stock in the pot from the beef. Add the assorted meats, smoked fish, palm oil, grounded pepper and crayfish. Cover and leave to cook for 10 minutes.
Tip: If stock is too much in the meat after boiling, take out some of it. You do not want too much water.
6) Add the periwinkle and/or snail.
Also add the water leaves and leave to cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat. The water leaves will emanate fluid into the soup.
7) Add the pumpkin leaves, the remaining maggi, grounded crayfish and salt to taste. Leave to simmer for 3 minutes. The Ugu leaves balances the soup and the soup has minimal or non existent liquid at this stage.
Edikainkong (Edikangikong) soup is ready.
Serve and enjoy
What to serve with
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Edikaikong (Edikainkong)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Ground crayfish
- 100 g Stock fish, dry shawa fish, smoked catfish
- Beef and assorted meat
- Scotch bonnet 3 red, 2 yellow
- Snails or Periwinkles
- 1 Onion
- 500 g pumpkin leaves (ugu)
- 1 kg Waterleaves or Spinach
- ⅓ cup Palmoil
- 2 Bouillion cube
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Blend the scotch bonnets with half of the onion. Wash the smoked fish by pouring hot water and salt on it, leave the fish in the water for 3 minutes then washout the dirt. Debone and shred the fish.
- Boil the offals ( shaki, ponmo,etc) seperately and set aside. Wash and cut the vegetables seperately.
- Boil the beef with 1 maggi cube, the remaining half of the chopped onion and salt.K’s Cuisine tip: Do not add water to the beef. Beef brings out water when boiling. Just boil (more like steaming) on low heat and watch the meat bring out water. Edikaikong is a no water added soup. The water from the beef and water leaves are all that’s needed for the soup.
- When beef is done there will be stock in the pot from the beef. Add the assorted meats, smoked fish, palm oil, grounded pepper and crayfish. Cover and leave to cook for 10 minutes.Tip: If stock is too much in the meat after boiling, take out some of it. You do not want too much water
- Add the periwinkle and/or snail. Also add the water leaves and leave to cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat. The water leaves will emanate fluid into the soup.
- Add the pumpkin leaves, the remaining maggi, grounded crayfish and salt to taste. Leave to simmer for 3 minutes. The Ugu leaves balances the soup and the soup has minimal or non existent liquid at this stage.
- Edikainkong (Edikangikong) soup is ready.
First published March 10, 2014. This post has been updated with new pictures June 2019
Mmmmm wow!,my thoat is inching me seriously. U r d best.if u didn't mention Eba, I wouldn't knw it Eba ooo. Good work madam.
Thanks Tawakalt????. Lol..It is good old Eba looking funky
Nice and it is so evident that you learnt how to cook from a Calabar girl
I'm from Akwa Ibom and I can say this is how edikan ikong is supposed to look
You did skip mentioning where to add the oil
It should be somewhere after adding the water leaf
Well done!
http://www.janylbenylshares.com
Janyl Benyl,
Yippee.. I got stamp of approval from Akwa Ibom lady :). I did state to put before water leaf so as to avoid curdling taste of palmoil by adding it earlier. Thanks so much for d compliments and you do hav a nice blog. I Checked it out 🙂
K's Cuisine....this soup is mind bowing......It would be nice if you can inbox me the recipe Please......i love varieties of meal [email protected].....Thanks
Well, thank you for making my Monday and the tip on alternate vegetables that can be used. i have tried using watercress instead of water leaf and it also works, I will definitely be trying this.
Lola, Thanks for the watercress tip. I will be trying that out and post the result.
Nice one mam,I will try this on Sunday and I hope it comes out nicely like your.Well done
Thank you Benedicta. let me know how it goes