Name: Edikaikong Soup (Edikainkong)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/4 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; 1/3 cup Palmoil; 2 Bouillion cube; Salt (to taste)

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 Soup

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 wash out the dirt. Debone and shred the fish.

3) Boil the offals ( shaki, ponmo, etc) separately and set aside. Wash and cut the vegetables separately.

4) Boil the beef with 1 stock cube, the remaining half of the chopped onion and salt.

Boil beef — See the beef stock? No water added to boil beef

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.

Edikainkong served with Eba — Edikaikong served with Eba

Serve and enjoy

What to serve with

How To Store

Let the soup cool completely, then pack it in an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

It can be reheated in a pot on the stove or in the microwave.

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5 from 1 vote