Edikang Ikong Soup is a highly nutritious, delicious and savory vegetable soup natively prepared using 'ugwu' (the native name for fluted pumpkin leaves) and Malabar spinach (locally called water leaf in Nigeria).
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Nigerian
Servings: 10
Calories: 280kcal
Ingredients
2lbs Malabar Spinach aka Water leaf
2 lbsPumpkin leaves(you may use ugwu if you have that available)
3lbsGoat meat cut into large bite size cubes
½cup Cooked shelled Apple snails
1lbsSmoked Shrimp
½cupPalm oil
2Red onions
2Scotch bonnet peppers
4tbspGround smoked dried shrimp aka Crayfish
3tspChicken bouillon
Salt to taste
Instructions
Slice both onions and scotch bonnet peppers, and set them aside.
On low- medium heat in a large stock pot, braise the goat meat with the one of the onions, scotch bonnet peppers, 1 tsp bullion and 1 tsp salt for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Half way into braising the goat meat, add ½ a cup of water and stir the meat to prevent in from burning. Keep the pot covered at all times during the braising process.
While the meat is braising, wash the Malabar spinach in cool water to get rid of sand and dirt. Pick off the tough stems, but save the tender stems and leaves. Chop and set aside.
Wash the pumpkin leaves in cool water to get rid of sand and dirt. Pick off the tough stems, but save the tender stems and leaves. Chop and set aside.
Once the meat is tender and is done braising. Set aside.
In a deep pot heat up the palm oil on medium heat (be careful not to over heat the oil on high heat) and sauté the other sliced onion for 10 minutes until it is starting to get caramelized.
Add in the snails and smoked shrimp, and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
Add in the braised goat meat and reserve the braising liquid for another recipe. It is a very flavorful stock, and be used for another dish.
Add in 2 teaspoons of bullion, crayfish, then add in the chopped water leaves and the pumpkin leaves. Stir and allow to stew uncovered on medium heat for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, taste the stew for seasoning and adjust the salt if necessary. Turn the heat off and allow the stew to sit for 5 minutes, then serve hot