Vegetable Soup (Edikang Ikong) Ingredients
Vegetable soup also known as edikang Ikong in Ibibio and Efik people. It’s scientific name is Telfairia occidentalis and is called Ugu leaves by the Igbo people. It is commonly known as flutted pumpkin. The leaves of this flutted pumpkin is very fleshy and can be used in preparing lots of recipes in Nigeria.
Ingredients for Vegetable Soup
All the ingredients for vegetable soup can be sourced locally and they are readily available in almost al the open market and stores in Nigeria. Particularly in the southern part of Nigeria, there is no market you wouldn’t see all the basic ingredients for preparing vegetable soup.
I will be listing on the ingredients in two categories; the major and minor Ingredients. The major ingredients are those ones which you can’t do without while the minor ones you can either add or forgo, you will still have a complete vegetable soup.
Major Ingredients
- Flutted pumpkin (edikang Ikong/ugu leaves)
- Waterleaf
- Meat
- Fish (smoked or fresh)
- Crayfish
- Stock cubes
- Pepper
- Salt
- Ponmo (cowskin)
- Periwinkle (unshelled)
- Palm oil(red oil)
- Stockfish
Minor Ingredients
- Periwinkle (shelled)
- Prawn
- Lobster
- Assorted meat
Prepping the Ingredients
In this section, I will be discussing the easiest methods of preparing the various ingredients outlined above. This will make it easier for you when you start the main cooking processes.
Flutted Pumpkin Leaves
This is the main vegetable for this recipe. To prepare this ingredients, wash the leaves repeatedly for at least 2-3 times with enough amount of water. This will help remove any dirt and sand that might have attached to the leaves from the farm.
Vegetable leaves
After washing, chop the leaves until smaller slices. Continue the process till the desired sizes are achieved. Very tiny slices produces the best result.
Waterleaf
The process of preparing waterleaf is very similar to that of pumpkin. Also wash the leaves repeatedly, then proceed to chop it into smaller slices. If the waterleaf is very slimy, wash it after cutting using a plastic or steel sieve. This will help in remove the excess slime from the waterleaf.
Waterleaf
Meat
Cut your meat into a desirable size, wash and boil it. After a few minutes, add salt, 1-2 stock cubes and pepper. Add additional water to the meat, boil till it tenders and set it aside.
Stockfish
You can also decide to precook the stock fish or add it directly while cooking. Depending on the part you are using for the soup, like the mid body or head, it will be a good idea to cook it before the main meal. This will help to make it easily chewable while eating. You don’t want to stress your mouth too much will eating lol.
Stockfish
Ponmo (Cowskin)
Cowskin comes in two variations; the freshly skinned and the dry one. For the freshly skinned, you will need to cook it beforehand like you did for the meat.
But for the dry version, the sellers always dips it water to make it fresh again before selling. For this one, you can skip pre cooking it, just wash it, cut it into desired sizes then set it aside.
Periwinkle (shelled)
For the shelled periwinkle, if you bought the one that is uncut, you will need to cut off the tail, wash thoroughly to remove all the dirt, then keep it aside.
Periwinkle
Conclusion
Your choice of ingredients is the major determinant of the outcome of any recipe. If your ingredients are incomplete or they are not fresh, it will affect the taste of the meal especially for soups. Preparing the ingredients beforehand, will help fasten the overall cooking process.
I have listed all the ingredients needed to cook vegetable soup and also explained the easiest ways to prepare all the ingredients. You can comment below if you have any questions you need answers to concerning this post or any other recipes you have in mind.
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