Name: Edikang Ikong
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 500g waterleaf, washed and roughly chopped; 300g ugwu (fluted pumpkin leaves), washed; 600g assorted meat (beef, tripe, shaki); 200g stockfish, soaked and shredded; 100g dried fish, deboned; 200g periwinkles, cleaned; 5 tablespoons palm oil; 3 tablespoons ground crayfish; 2 scotch bonnet peppers, blended; 1 medium onion, diced; 2 seasoning cubes; Salt to taste

A luxurious Efik soup from Cross River State packed with waterleaf, fluted pumpkin leaves, periwinkles, and assorted seafood in a rich palm-oil broth.

The Cultural Story

Edikang Ikong — meaning "vegetable soup" in Efik — is the undisputed crown jewel of Efik and Ibibio cuisine, and arguably one of the most celebrated soups in all of Nigeria. Originating from the Akwa Ibom and Cross River States of Southern Nigeria, this soup is a statement dish: the combination of waterleaf and ugwu (fluted pumpkin leaves) creates layers of flavor and texture that no single vegetable soup can replicate. The soup is traditionally cooked with an abundance of seafood — periwinkles, stockfish, dried fish — alongside assorted cuts of beef, making it simultaneously earthy, oceanic, and deeply savory. It has crossed from regional pride to national icon, appearing on restaurant menus, in cookbooks, and at weddings from Port Harcourt to Abuja. The rule is simple: never be stingy with the vegetables. A good edikang ikong should arrive at the table looking like a verdant stew, bold and unapologetic.

Ingredients

500g waterleaf, washed and roughly chopped
300g ugwu (fluted pumpkin leaves), washed
600g assorted meat (beef, tripe, shaki)
200g stockfish, soaked and shredded
100g dried fish, deboned
200g periwinkles, cleaned
5 tablespoons palm oil
3 tablespoons ground crayfish
2 scotch bonnet peppers, blended
1 medium onion, diced
2 seasoning cubes
Salt to taste

Instructions

1Season and boil assorted meat with onion, seasoning cubes, and salt until tender, about 30 minutes. Add stockfish and dried fish midway through cooking.
2In a wide pot, heat palm oil over medium-high heat. Add blended peppers and onion, fry for 5 minutes.
3Add the cooked meat, stockfish, dried fish, and stock to the pepper base. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
4Add crayfish and periwinkles. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
5Add waterleaf — it will release a lot of water. Stir and allow the water to evaporate slightly, about 5 minutes.
6Add ugwu leaves and stir to combine. Cook for just 3–4 minutes — the leaves should stay vibrant green.
7Taste and adjust salt and seasoning. Serve hot with pounded yam, eba, or fufu.

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