SOUP RECIPES (EDIKANG IKONG SOUP)

SOUP RECIPES (EDIKANG IKONG SOUP)

 Edikang Ikong soup is  a combination of  Vegetables,  mainly pumpkin leaves and water leaves. It is very nutritious and popular.  This soup originated  from  the Efik, people from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. Edikang Ikong soup is rich in taste because of all the different flavours from the veggies and meat. Many homes and restaurants enjoy this soup so much because of the nutritional value.

Ingredients for Edikang Ikong Soup

• 1kg Pumpkin leaves                                          
• 500g Water leaves (Talinum Triangulare)
• 600g Beef, Kanda, shaki and Dry fish
• Pepper, Salt and ground crayfish to tastes
• 200ml Palm oil                                           
  
• 1 cup Periwinkle
• 2 medium onions
• 2-3 stock cubes

Alternative vegetables for those who cannot buy water leaves and pumpkin leaves:

Use the following to replace the classic vegetables for this soup:

• 1kg normal frozen spinach
• 200g ground frozen spinach
• 250g lamb's lettuce (canonigos in Spanish)

Defrost the frozen spinach, cut the normal frozen one into tiny pieces and mix with the ground frozen spinach. Wring out the water from these and add them when the written recipe requires you to add the pumpkin leaves.

Wash, pick and cut the Lamb's Lettuce into tiny pieces. Add them when the written recipe requires you to add water leaves.

                                                                     

Before you cook the Edikaikong Soup

1.     Wash and cut the pumpkin and water leaves into tiny pieces. Put them in separate sieves to drain out all the water as much as possible.

2.     Cut the Kanda into small pieces. Cook the beef, kanda and the dry fish with the 2 bulbs of diced onions and the stock cubes with as little quantity of water as possible.

Cooking Directions

1.     When the meat is done, add a generous amount of palm oil, the crayfish and pepper and leave to boil for about 10 minutes. The palm oil serves as the liquid in the Edikang Ikong soup. You should try as much as possible to make it the only liquid in the soup.

2.     Add the periwinkle and water leaves and leave to cook for another 5 minutes. You may have to cook for less time at this stage so that the water leaves are not over-cooked.

3.     Now add the pumpkin leaves and salt to taste. Stir the contents of the pot very well and turn off the heat. Cover the pot and leave to stand for about 5 minutes.

4.     Thats it!
                                                                                    

Serve with Cassava fufu, Amala, Tuwo Shinkafa, Pounded Yam and Eba (Garri)