Growing up in Nigeria one of the dishes I loved eating was Edikang Ikong, which is a Nigerian Vegetable Soup.
As an adult, I love preparing this soup for my family and friends.
Throughout the years, I’ve even picked up some tricks on finding alternatives for ingredients when my pantry is running low.
Edikang Ikong soup consists of a blend of palm oil, leafy vegetables, like waterleaf or spinach, with meats such as beef as well as shaki (tripe), and pomo (cow skin). It is seasoned with crayfish.
This dish is typically accompanied by other Nigerian staples such as pounded yam, fufu, rice, boiled plantains.
Let’s get started with making Edikang Ikong!
How Do You Make Nigerian vegetable soup?
To get started, you will need a few ingredients: fresh waterleaf, ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves), assorted meats like beef, goat meat, and tripe, dried fish, stockfish, crayfish, periwinkles, palm oil, onions, seasoning cubes, and some fresh peppers for heat.
Begin by washing and chopping the waterleaf and ugu thoroughly to remove any dirt or sand.
The meat and fish should be cleaned and cooked in a large pot with onions, seasoning cubes, and water until tender. Once the meat is ready, remove the stockfish bones, if any, and keep everything aside.
In a separate pot, heat a generous amount of palm oil until it melts but doesn’t smoke, then add the crayfish and ground fresh peppers.
Pour in the meat stock, followed by the cooked meat, stockfish, dried fish, and periwinkles. Allow this to simmer for about 5–10 minutes.
Gradually add the chopped waterleaf, stirring it into the pot until it softens and releases its moisture. Next, fold in the ugu leaves. I am carefully in this step to prevent the ugu from changing color and becoming overcooked.
Stir everything together and taste to adjust the seasoning.
Once the soup has simmered and the vegetables are tender but not overcooked, your Edikang Ikong is ready to serve!
Nigerian Vegetable Soup (Edikang Ikong)
Ingredients
- 1 lbs beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 lbs shaki (tripe), cleaned and cut into pieces
- 1/2 lbs pomo (cow skin), cleaned and cut into pieces
- 4 cups fresh waterleaf or spinach, chopped
- 3 cups ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves) or kale, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp ground crayfish
- 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (adjust to heat preference)
- 2 cooking spoons palm oil (about ½ cup)
- 1 tbsp tablespoon ground pepper (optional)
- 2 seasoning cubes (Maggi or Knorr)
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup periwinkles (optional)
- 1-2 cups stock (from boiling the beef and shaki)
Instructions
Prepare the Meat:
- Place the beef, shaki, and pomo in a large pot. Add chopped onions, seasoning cubes, and salt. Pour in enough water to cover the meat.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the meat and shaki are tender. Add water as needed. Once cooked, set the meat aside and reserve the stock for later.
Prepare the Vegetables:
- Rinse and chop the waterleaf or spinach, as well as the ugu or kale.
- Set them aside.
Cooking the Soup:
- In another large pot, heat the palm oil on medium heat. Be careful not to bleach the oil (don’t let it turn clear).
- Add the chopped scotch bonnet peppers and ground crayfish to the oil, stirring for about 2-3 minutes to release the flavors.
Add the Meat:
- Add the cooked beef, shaki, pomo, and any optional periwinkles to the pot with the palm oil and crayfish mixture.
- Stir well to combine.
Add the Stock:
- Pour in 1-2 cups of the reserved stock from boiling the meat. Stir, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt or ground pepper if needed.
- Allow it to simmer for 5-10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Add the Vegetables:
- Gradually add the waterleaf or spinach first, stirring until it wilts slightly. After about 2 minutes, add the ugu or kale, stirring everything together.
- The vegetables will release some liquid, which will help blend the soup.
Simmer:
- Let the soup simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The palm oil should rise to the top, and the soup should be thick and well-blended with the meat and vegetables.
Serve:
- Once ready, serve your Nigerian Vegetable Soup hot with fufu, pounded yam, eba, or any other preferred side.
You are done with preparing your Edikang Ikong (Nigerian Vegetable Soup).
It’s all set for lunch or dinnertime. Feel free to tell me how you liked preparing this Nigerian soup!
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