Edikang Ikong: A Soup Whose Flavor Depends on the Order of the Leaves
Two kinds of leaves, added one after the other. Very little liquid. Red palm oil, crayfish and dried fish holding the greens together with the meat and seafood.
Outside Nigeria, the two leaves at the heart of this soup are hard to find together. You may find ugu and no waterleaf, or the reverse, or neither. The recipe author Nma of Nigerian Lazy Chef writes that she could not get them either, and cooked with kale and spinach instead. What her recipe does not change is the order. The leaves never go into the pot at once. First the waterleaf (or spinach) cooks until most of the water it releases is gone, and only then do the ugu (or kale) and red palm oil go in. The identity of this dish rests as much on that sequence as on the names of the leaves.
Edikang Ikong (also written Edikaikong or Edi-kang Ikong) is a dense leafy soup tied to the Efik and Ibibio peoples of southern Nigeria. Nma's page calls it "The King of Efik Soups." Soluap describes it as a soup of the Ibibio or Efik people, centered on Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria's South-South. It is closer to a thick stew of greens than to a broth. Leaves, meat and seafood cling together so you can pick them up with a swallow such as eba. For more dishes from the same country, see Nigerian cuisine.
This article follows a single recipe: the version Nma published as her own interpretation of a recipe from Eketi. Other cooks use different amounts and orders, and they are not mixed in here.
This recipe has not been kitchen-tested by us. The amounts, the order and the 9-serving yield are as listed on the source page.
How It Differs from Efo Riro and Afang Soup
What identifies Edikang Ikong is the pairing of two leaves: ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves) and waterleaf. Nma's recipe is built on these two. 9jafoodie names ugu as a defining ingredient.
Efo riro, a leafy dish from south-western Nigeria, is a different dish. 9jafoodie notes that Edikang Ikong uses ugu and does not start from a pepper sauce base the way efo riro does. Both can be called "vegetable soup," but they are not the same pot. Adding a tomato-and-pepper base here would pull the result toward efo riro.
Afang soup is another leafy soup from the same broad region. It is built on afang (okazi) leaves rather than ugu and waterleaf. If a shop or recipe uses the names loosely, the leaves are the quickest way to tell which dish you are making.
Ingredients: As Listed for 9 Servings
These are the amounts from the source page, which lists 9 servings. The source lists weights in pounds and ounces; the gram figures in parentheses are rounded weight conversions. The capacity of its cup is not specified, so the roughly 1 cup of palm oil is not converted to milliliters. Each leaf line is an either/or choice. Use waterleaf or spinach, and ugu or kale. Do not add both from the same line. The source does not give scaled-down amounts, so no smaller batch is given here.
Eba, fufu or pounded yam are served alongside as a swallow. They are not part of the soup itself, so they are not in the table.
This soup contains shellfish and fish: shrimp, crayfish, dried fish, stockfish and periwinkles. Check product labels for individual allergen information. Keep raw meat and fish apart from other foods and do not let their juices touch anything eaten raw. Cook meat until heated through to the center. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare gives 75°C (167°F) for at least 1 minute at the center as a general guideline for meat. That guideline is for meat only and does not replace the cooking instructions for the seafood. Make sure the raw shrimp are cooked through before serving.
Equipment
No special equipment is needed.
- A large pot with room for a 9-serving quantity of leaves and seafood
- Cutting board and knife for chopping the leaves
- Separate bowls to keep the two leaves apart after chopping
- A wooden spoon or spatula for turning the soup from the bottom
- A clean food thermometer for checking the center of the meat
Choosing the Leaves and Seafood When You Can't Find Them
Ugu → kale. Nma could not find ugu and used kale. 9jafoodie also suggests kale for ugu. Kale gives a similar thick, chewy body, but it is not the same leaf, and the aroma will differ.
Waterleaf → spinach. Nma used spinach for waterleaf. In 9jafoodie's comments, watercress or Malabar spinach are also offered as substitutes. Any of these will release a different amount of water and have different fibers, so do not assume they will behave like waterleaf. Do not add extra water. Watch the pot until the released liquid settles.
Periwinkles and stockfish. If you cannot find them, the honest options are to leave them out or use what dried fish you can get. This makes the soup less faithful and thins out the layers of seafood. No specific local shellfish or fish is offered here as an equivalent.
Keep the dried and fresh seafood straight. Ground crayfish is a dried seasoning. Raw shrimp is fresh seafood. Dried fish is smoked or dried whole fish. All three appear in the recipe, and none replaces another.
Reducing the habaneros will change the flavor of the dish. Heat comes from both the habaneros and the dry pepper powder, so adjust one at a time rather than both at once. The source gives no reduced amounts.
Method: Four Additions, Each Judged by the State of the Pot
The source gives no fixed time for cooking the meat or for the leaves. Move on when the meat is tender and the liquid has nearly cooked away, then when the water released by the first leaves has mostly gone. The only fixed time is 6 minutes after the shrimp go in.
Watery, Tough, Too Salty: Fixing It by Going Back to the Order
| Condition | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The soup is watery | Water added after the leaves, or the ugu went in before the waterleaf liquid had settled | Do not add water once the leaves are in. Let the released liquid cook down before the next addition |
| The meat is tough | The leaves went in before the meat was tender | Cook the meat until tender before any leaves go in. Time varies with cut and size, so judge by the meat, not the clock |
| Too salty | Salt from stockfish, dried fish, crayfish and bouillon stacking up | Bouillon is optional. Taste after the dried ingredients are in before adding salt |
| Flavor is flat | All the crayfish went in at once, or too little | Split the crayfish as written: 1 tbsp with the meat, the rest with the first leaves |
| Leaves are mushy or the aroma is dull | Both leaves added at the same time | Add the waterleaf (or spinach) first and the ugu (or kale) later, as the source does |
| Too thick | Liquid cooked away more than expected | Add a little more oil rather than water, as the source suggests |
What to Eat It With
Nma's recipe says to serve it with any swallow. 9jafoodie and Soluap give examples such as eba (made from cassava garri), fufu and pounded yam. Soluap also mentions somvita. Pinch off a small piece of the swallow and use it to scoop up the leaves and pieces. The swallow sits on its own plate. It is not cooked into the soup.
If you do not have a swallow on hand, you can still taste the soup on its own. Serving it with one is the typical way described in the sources, but none of them treats it as a strict rule.
Background: Where the Dish Belongs
The sources tie Edikang Ikong to the Efik and Ibibio peoples of southern Nigeria. Nma's title calls it the king of Efik soups. 9jafoodie places it among southern Nigerian dishes. Soluap describes it as a soup of the Ibibio or Efik people, centered on Akwa Ibom State. Each source frames the region a little differently, so this article does not name a single place or period of origin. The sources consulted also say nothing about the meaning of the name, its history or particular festivals, so those are not covered here.
The recipe itself shows how a dish travels. Nma first presents Eketi's story and recipe, then gives her own interpretation. Living away from the leaves, she cooked it with kale and spinach. Other published versions, such as those from 9jafoodie and Soluap, use different amounts and orders. No substitute leaf exactly matches ugu or waterleaf. Keeping the order of the leaves and holding back on liquid keeps the soup recognizable even when the leaves change.
Storage
The source gives no storage period for this soup, so none is given here. Do not leave the cooked soup at room temperature for a long time. Divide leftovers into clean, shallow containers so they cool quickly, and refrigerate promptly. When reheating, heat it thoroughly until it is hot all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Edikang Ikong different from efo riro?
Edikang Ikong pairs ugu with waterleaf, adds them in order, and does not start from a pepper sauce base. Efo riro is a leafy dish from south-western Nigeria built on a pepper sauce base. They are separate dishes, not variations of one recipe.
What can I use if I can't find ugu?
Nma, the recipe author, used kale, and 9jafoodie suggests kale as well. Use the same 16½ oz (about 468 g) amount in place of ugu. The texture role is similar, but the flavor is not the same.
What can I use if I can't find waterleaf?
Nma used spinach. In 9jafoodie's comments, watercress or Malabar spinach are also suggested. Each releases a different amount of water, so cook until the liquid has mostly gone before adding the second leaf, and do not add water.
How long does it take?
The source page lists 10 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking and 40 minutes total. It is not clear whether that includes soaking dried fish and stockfish or preparing periwinkles. The meat stage has no fixed time. Go by the state of the pot: tender meat with almost no liquid, then the leaf liquid mostly gone, then 6 minutes after the shrimp go in with the shrimp cooked through.
Do I need eba or pounded yam?
It is usually eaten with a swallow such as eba, fufu or pounded yam. You can still taste and enjoy the soup without one.
Sources
- Nigerian Lazy Chef (Nma), "Edikang Ikong (The King of Efik Soups)." The recipe followed here, presented as Nma's interpretation of a recipe from Eketi. Source of all ingredient amounts, the order of additions, the near-dry stock, the 6-minute final simmer, adding oil rather than water when too thick, the 9-serving and 10/30/40-minute page listing, and the author's own use of kale and spinach. https://nigerianlazychef.com/recipes/edikang-ikong-the-king-of-efik-soups/
- 9jafoodie (Ronke Edoho), "Edikang Ikong Recipe." Used for the difference from efo riro (ugu, no pepper sauce base), the dish's place in southern Nigerian cooking, and the substitute suggestions of kale for ugu and watercress or Malabar spinach for waterleaf. Its amounts and steps are not used here. https://9jafoodie.com/edikang-ikong/
- Soluap, "How to cook Edikang Ikong." Used for the description of the dish as a soup of the Ibibio or Efik people centered on Akwa Ibom State, and for serving examples such as fufu, pounded yam, somvita and eba. Its amounts and steps are not used here. https://soluap.com/how-to-cook-edikang-ikong/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, "家庭での食中毒予防" (Preventing food poisoning at home). General guidance on cooking meat to 75°C for at least 1 minute at the center, not leaving cooked food at room temperature for long, refrigerating promptly, reheating thoroughly, and keeping raw meat and fish apart from other foods. Not a source for this recipe's cooking times. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/syokuchu/01_00008.html
