Like so many people, I was not a fan of everything green growing up, the thought that green veggies were anything but tasty messed with me. It took growing up to know this is not true. In fact, with soups like Nigerian Edikang Ikong, the greener, the better! The flavour of this pot of vegetable soup is thanks to its ingredients, the choice of protein, and the precision in the condiments.
Back in the day at the University of Lagos, my many exciting days included a trip to the popular Calabar kitchen just around the school library. I would always pick Edikang ikong or Egusi soup paired with my choice of swallow. I have been such a fan!
What is Edikang Soup?
Edikang Ikong is a vegetable soup variant owned by people from Southern Nigeria, specifically Cross River State.
The vegetables, which are a combination of pumpkin leaves (ugwu) and malabar spinach (water leaf) are cooked in a pepper mix with proteins, dried cod, cow skin cuts, and dried shrimp.
Explore other Nigerian aromatic soups such as How to Make Sumptuous Ogbono Soup (Wild Mango Seed Stew), Making the Famous West African Red Stew, How to Make Nigerian Fish Pepper Soup
Edikang Soup Ingredients
Aside the vegetables used, the other important ingredient here is the choice of protein. The rich broth makes up the soupy part in which the chopped vegetables will cook.
Due to the unavailability of some of these vegetables where I live, I used regular spinach. I also added in some scent leaves to amplify the aroma of my soup. You can add in chopped kale as part of your vegetable options.
As I mentioned earlier, your choice of meats is a very essential part of this soup. Assorted meats such as goat meat cuts, beef, beef tripe, and cow leg can be used, and if you are vegetarian, some portobello mushrooms will do the trick.
Your cooking time will vary based on your choice of protein as some meats take more time to soften. If there is one advantage to having a bowl of vegetable soup in your freezer, it is the variety it provides you.
In other words, it can be eaten alone, with a bowl of rice, some bread rolls, sadza, plantains, and yam chips, the options are endless.
Edikang Ikong Soup would pair nicely with Easy Sadza | Ugali |African Cornmeal.
Other Edikang Soup Ingredients
Other condiments used traditionally include periwinkles, deboned dry fish, dry shrimp, ground or whole crayfish, etc. The beauty of food is in the cook’s ability to substitute ingredients for either what is within reach or simply preferred taste. Hence, use scallops, tiger shrimp, and flaked salmon, and play with it to your liking.
To enhance my Edikang Ikong, I also added:
Scotch Bonnets
This is optional and can be added according to your spice level. As a Yoruba girl (we love spice), I could not pass on a hint of spice in my Edikang Ikong.
Dried Cod
Popularly known as okporoko in Nigeria, it is dried cod fish that is sold in most African/Caribbean stores. It is cooked with meats and adds a ton of flavour to the soup.
Palm Oil
This very nutritious oil is a common type of oil used in most soups of Nigerian origin. You can find this in your local store as well.
Dried Fish
There are different types of dried fish, the most popular kind when it comes to native Nigerian soups is the catfish. For this soup, the fish will need to be deboned.
Efinrin (Scent Leaves)
This is popularly known as African basil. I garnished my Edikang Ikong with a handful of scent leaves, I found the dried leaves at the store. These do not need to be added in large amounts to prevent overpowering.
Explore other savoury recipes such as Authentic Efo Riro Recipe (Nigerian Spinach Stew)
More soups to try:
- How to Cook Delicious Nigerian Egusi Soup
- Making the Famous West African Red Stew
- How to Make Sumptuous Ogbono Soup (Wild Mango Seed Stew)
- How to Make Authentic Ghanaian Light Soup
How to Cook Edikang Ikong Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs goat meat cuts
- 3 lbs cow leg cuts
- 1 1/2 lbs beef tripe
- 3 lbs of chopped spinach
- African basil or regular basil chopped
- 1 round catfish
- 1/2 cup of palm oil
- 1 scotch bonnet optional
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 Tbsp dry crayfish
- 10-15 pieces of dry shrimp
- 2 pieces of stock fish pieces
- Beef bouillon to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse your meats, add in the goat meats into a large pot, if you have a pressure cooker, you can use that for cooking the cow leg and beef tripe. If not, add the cow leg and beef tripe to the goat meats. Add in the stock fish pieces, toss in the onions, season with salt and beef bouillon. Steam for 10 minutes.
- Add in a cup of water and keep cooking for 15 minutes, do not cover the pot tightly to aid reduction of the liquid content.
- Debone your dry fish, rinse with some salt and set aside. Prep your vegetables (spinach and scent leaves) by rinsing and squeezing most of the water out of them and set aside.
- In the meats, add in your chopped scotch bonnet. If you used the dry version of scent leaves, you should add it in now as it takes time to tenderize.
- Add in palm oil, dry fish and dry shrimp. Keep on cooking for another 10 minutes.
- Go in with your chopped vegetables , cover the pot and let cook for 15 minutes, combine properly, adjust salt and seasoning, cook for another 10 minutes and turn off heat. Serve hot.
