Edikang Ikong soup or simply Vegetable Soup
is native to the Efiks, people from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states of Nigeria.
It's a very nutritious soup, rich in vitamins and minerals. It's often prepared in a way that the leaves used are still fresh, to ensure its freshness and taste.
The major leaves used for preparing this nutritious and mind-blowing soup are pumpkin vegetables and water leaf.
Pumpkin vegetables
Water leaf
This soup is believed to have capacity to replenish ones blood and make one look fresher and younger.
A young lady who can prepare this soup to the taste of the Elders is believed to be ripe and mature for marriage and would make a good wife. Lol.
Ingredients for Edikang Ikong Soup are as follows:
Pumpkin leaves
Water leaves
Beef, Kanda , shaki and Dry fish
Pepper, Salt and ground crayfish
Palm oil
Periwinkle
onions
stock cubes, etc.
HOW TO COOK:
First steam your meat, when the meat is done, add a generous amount of palm oil, 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.
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.
At this point, add the pumpkin leaves and salt to taste. Stir the contents in the pot very well and turn off your cooker. Cover the pot and leave it for about 5 minutes.
4 Dish and serve with cassava fufu.
Thanks for reading!
Hope you enjoyed! If you don't please visit Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria for this delicious soup. Lol!