Answered by Akwaete John Udoh from Yaba, Nigeria 756 days ago

Edikang Ikong soup is a deliciously rich African vegetable soup prepared from a blend of pumpkin leaves, water leaves, periwinkles or snails, fish and assorted meat. It is perhaps the most prestigious, most talk about soup in Nigeria, and truly tantalizing if well prepared.

Legend has it that if you are looking for the fastest way to a man's heart, this is soup to prepare.

Edikang Ikong is not only eaten in Nigeria. It is a very popular soup in Cameron, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Ghana and indeed many West African Countries.

This authentic African food is believed to have its origin amongst the Efiks in Cross River State and Ibibios in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.

Even though this soup could be prepared differently, there is a particular ingredient that is almost never left out, from which this soup got it's identity.

This is the fluted pumpkin leaf , also commonly called ugu leaf in Nigeria. The Ibibio's call the leaf Nkong Ubong , Efiks call it Ikong Ubong Igbos named the leaf Ugu , the Ghanaians Krobonku and the Sierra Leonians Gonugbe.

This leaf is mostly cultivated in tropical Africa e.g. Ghana and Nigeria also in Sri lanka, India, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

You can get pumpkin leaves in online as dried ugu leaves, if you live outside Africa and want to prepare this meal.

Another leaf used in this soup as mentioned above is water leaf (Talinum triangulare ). You can substitute this with spinach if you are unable to get water leaf.

Anecdotal reports has it hat this is the most nutritious of all African soups. Ugwu leaf (Pumpkin leaf) is believed to be very rich in iron, and has been used, even by doctors to rapidly build up patients blood count within days of ingestion.

The fresh leaf is also rich in vitamin C, magnesium and vitamin K, all necessary for strong immunity against diseases, strong bone, heart and optimal functioning of the blood clotting system.

The high vegetable content also means high dietary fibre, good for sound bowel function and ideal in a weight control diet.

Recipe:

I kg / 21b assorted meats (beef, oxtail, tripe, ponmo, bokoto & bushmeat)
4 snails (washed with lemon and limes)
450g / llb stockfish (pre-soaked)
450g / llb dry fish ( thoroughly washed)
450g/ llb periwinkles (top & tail)
22 5 § / 8oz whole dry prawns (cleaned)
225g / 8oz ground crayfish
I medium onion
1.35kg/3 lb fresh ugwu/pumpkin leaves (washed & shredded)
I kg /21b fresh waterleaf (prepared and washed)
200ml palmoil
600ml / lpt stock
salt to taste

Wash the meat thoroughly and place in a large pot. Add some sliced onions, ground chillies and some stock. Place on heat and cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the snail from shells and wash, rubbing with lime or lemon juice to remove slime. Wash the smoked dry fish with salt and soak in slightly salted eater for 5 minutes to kill any insect and loosen any sand or girt.

Rinse thoroughly with lots of cold water. Top and tail the periwinkles and wash thoroughly. Add the snails, stockfish, dry fish,dry prawns and periwinkles to the pot of meat and cook for a further 10 minutes, adding more stock if required. Finally add the shredded ugwu / pumpkin leaves and waterleaf, mix in properly. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes and add the crayfish and palmoil.

Give it a good stir and gently simmer for another 10 minutes until well blended and the aroma fills the kitchen. Remove from heat and serve hot with Fufu or pounded yam.

NB:

This is the common Recipe and ingredient but avoid preparing with fishes or sea foods that do not have scales or, animals that do not chew the cud or have parted hoofs.

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