Edikaikong Soup

Edikaikong soup has over the years topped the list of Nigerian popular soups because of its nutritional value and ease of preparation.

When we say “vegetable soup” in Nigeria, we are actually talking about this delicacy.

This soup is native to the Efiks, people from the cross river state. The name edikaikong simply translates to “vegetable soup”

I make more of this soup than every other Nigerian soup simply because it is likely the best source of vitamins known to me.

The only downside to this soup is that it loses its nutritional value when refrigerated over a long period of time.

It is advisable to make what would be enough for a few days, one week at most. (but that is if you care about its nutritional value, some folks don’t remember that part).

Here are all the ingredients for making Nigerian edikaikong soup, you can reduce or increase depending on the number of people you are looking to feed.

Ingredients For Edikaikong

Serving 6×2
Stockfish head (medium size)
500g Dried fish or roasted fish
1 cup of ground or pounded crayfish
Waterleaf (12 cups)
Fluted pumpkin (ugwu leaf) (8 cups)
2 cups of palm oil (500ml)
Meat of choice (preferably assorted meat)
Salt and pepper to taste
Maggi or knorr cube (3-4)
1 cup of Periwinkles (optional)
2 spoons of ofor or achi
Half cup of onions

Below are the images of some ingredients used for edikaikong soup, I like to pound my pepper/crayfish whenever I am making this delicious soup.

You would find sliced water leaves in one bowl, sliced ugu leaves, 1.5kg of meat (goat meat and cow liver), pounded crayfish/pepper and periwinkles.

Have you seen or eaten periwinkles before, I like them so much. You can purchase already-cleaned periwinkle from most Nigerian market, although it is entirely up to you to decide if you want them or not. You will learn more from the video below

How to prepare water leave soup

Step 1
Slice the ugwu leaves and Water leaves to bits (the traders normally do this in the market (in Nigeria) but you can slice at home with the help of a very sharp knife and a chopping board.

Step 2

Pour the leaves separately in bowls and soak in water, wash to remove sand.

It is advisable to wash the leaves thoroughly before slicing or slice before washing, this is actually the major reason I sliced my leaves myself.

You can wash the fluted pumpkin before slicing but you will need to slice the water leaves before washing.

How to Cook edikaikong Soup

Step 3
Season meat with 1 teaspoon of salt, two seasoning cubes and some sliced onions.

Step 4

Cook for 10 minutes then add water and cook till meat is 70% softer for consumption, wash the dry fish and stockfish with hot water to remove sand and impurities then add to the cooking meat on fire.

(You can add this at the beginning if you have parched (strong) fish

Step 5
To the boiling meat on fire; 1 cup of Palm oil (500ml), it takes lots of oil to prepare this soup. I used about 300ml to make the soup in the video below.

Step 6
Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5-10 minutes, be sure the whole combination is boiling with very little trace of water. It should look like this.

Step 5
Stir, taste for salt and pepper before adding the water leaves, stir and allow for about 3 minutes then add the ugwu leaves (fluted pumpkin).

the pounded crayfish/pepper, periwinkles, 1 seasoning cube should follow.

Step 6
Stir, taste for salt, add one tablespoon of ground ofor or achi (optional), sprinkle a spoon or a little more, stir. Cover half-way and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes.

You just made delicious edikaiakong soup, you can serve with Nigerian fufu, semo, wheat, eba, or pounded yam.

What you find below is a plate of edikaikong soup (vegetable soup) and wheat (swallow).

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Here is a simple edikaikong soup video and Recipe

Most people learn faster with videos so we also included a video on making Nigerian Edikaikong soup, you will also learn about all the ingredients used in making this soup and even much more about other Nigerian foods.

I made this video about a week ago in my kitchen, In the Nigerian Kitchen.

It gives you a better illustration of the above-written article, you will learn about all the ingredients used in making edikaikong soup as well as the processes involved in making the soup.

Edikaikong Soup | Vegetable Soup from Nigeria

Chef Chidi

Edikaikong is the most popular vegetable soup from Nigeria. This recipe is easy and could serve up to 12 people when paired with a Nigerian swallow - (fufu, eba or semo)

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Nigerian Cuisine

Servings 12 People

Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

• Pots
• Pressure cooker

Ingredients

  

• Waterleaf 12 cups
• Fluted pumpkin ugwu leaf (8 cups)
• 2 cups palm oil
• 1 Stockfish head medium size
• 200 g Dried fish or roasted fish
• 1 cup of ground or pounded crayfish
• 2 kg assorted meat
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 Seasoning cubes
• 1 cup of Periwinkles optional
• 2 spoons of ofor or achi
• Half cup of onions

Instructions

 

• Using a sharp knife and chopping board, slice the water leaves and fluted pumpkin to tiny bits, wash and set aside in different bowls.
• Season your meat with 2 seasoning cubes, onions and a teaspoon of salt.
• Allow to the meat to boil for 10 minutes, then add water and let it cook till it becomes soft and the water is almost dried.
• Add 2 cups of Palm oil (500ml) to the cooked meat in the pot while still on heat.
• Salt to taste - be sure the soup is boiling in oil, no water then add the water leaves.
• Stir for 3-5 minutes. you can add them little by little. Add the ugu (fluted pumpkin) leaves.
• The pounded crayfish/pepper, periwinkles, 1 seasoning cube should follow.
• Stir and taste for salt, you can add another seasoning cube. Allow simmering for 3-5 minutes and you have Nigeria's most popular vegetable soup - Edikaikong soup.

Video

Keyword Calabar soup, Edikaikong soup, Efik foods, Vegetable soup

Make a delicious pot of Egusi Soup – Edikaikong soup

Return to the complete list of All Nigerian Soups