How to Prepare your Favorite Edikang ikong Soup?

 

Edikang Ikong soup is a deliciously prepared rich African vegetable soup commonly served as a top delicacy during very important occasions. It is mostly eaten by the Akwa Iboms and the Calabars of southern part of Nigeria.

Some of the ingredients for preparing the dish are listed below;

• 1Kg of assorted meat (this could be either beef, oxtail, bokoto and bush meat).

• 4 snails properly washed with lime or lemon juice.
• 450g of stock fish that has been soaked.
• 450g of dried fish that has been thoroughly washed.
• 450g of periwinkles properly topped and tailed.
• 225g whole dried prawns properly cleaned.
• 225g of grinned crayfish.
• 1 medium sized onion.
• 1.35g of fresh ugwu pumpkin leaves washed and shredded.
• 1Kg of fresh water leaf properly washed and prepared.
• 200ml of palm oil.
• 600ml/1pt of stock.
• Salt to taste.

Lets go further to look at some of the steps you could use to prepare your delicious edikang ikong soup.

Step 1: Wash the meat thoroughly and put in a large pot.

Step 2: Add some sliced onions, grinned chillies and some stock.

Step 3: Allow to cook for about 30 minutes.

Step 4: Remove the snail from its shell and wash, after which you rub the body with lime or lemon juice to remove slime.

Step 5: Wash the smoked dry fish with salt and soak in slightly salted water for about 5 minutes to kill any bacteria and remove any sand. Make sure you rinse very well with lots of water.

Step 6: Top and tail the periwinkles and wash very well.

Step 7: Add your snails, stock fish, dry fish, dry prawns and periwinkles to the pot of meat.

Step 8: Allow to cook for another 10 minutes, adding more stock if required.

Step 9: Add your shredded ugwu pumpkin leaves and water leaf and mix properly.

Step 10: Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, then add your crayfish and palm oil.

Step 11: Stir very well and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes until it is properly mixed and its unique aroma fills the kitchen.

Step 12: Remove from heat and serve hot with fufu and pounded yam.