How to Cook Edikang Ikong Soup ( Edikaikong Soup )

The Nigerian Edikang Ikong soup or simply Vegetable Soup is native to the Efiks, people from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states of Nigeria. It is a general notion that the Edikang Ikong soup is very nutritious and this is very much so. Prepared with a generous quantity of pumpkin leaves and water leaves, this Nigerian soup recipe is nourishing in every sense of the word.

How to Cook Edikang Ikong Soup [Video]

It is common for Nigerians to request this soup recipe after a bout of illness as we trust it to replenish whatever was lost during the sickness. But you don't not need to be in a state of convalescence to enjoy this wholesome Nigerian food recipe.

Ingredients for Edikang Ikong Soup

• 1kg Pumpkin leaves
• 500g Water leaves
• 600g Beef, Kanda, shaki and Dry fish
• Pepper, Salt and ground Crayfish: to taste
• 200ml Palm oil
• Periwinkle - 1 cup
• 2 medium bulbs onions
• 2-3 Stock cubes

Alternative vegetables for those who cannot buy water leaves and pumpkin leaves:

Use the following to replace the classic Nigerian vegetables for this soup:

• 1kg Normal Frozen Spinach
• 200g Ground Frozen Spinach
• 250g Lamb's Lettuce (Canonigos in Spanish)

Defrost the frozen spinach, cut the normal frozen one into tiny pieces and mix with the ground frozen spinach. Wring out the water from these and add them when I add the pumpkin leaves.

Wash pick and cut the Lamb's Lettuce into tiny pieces. Add them when I add the water leaves.

Before you cook the Edikaikong Soup

1. Wash and cut the pumpkin and water leaves into tiny pieces. Put them in separate sieves to drain out all the water as much as possible.
2. Cut the Kanda into small pieces. Cook the beef, kanda and the dry fish with the 2 bulbs of diced onions and the 3 Maggi / Knorr cubes with as little quantity of water as possible.

Cooking Directions

1. When the meat is done, add a generous amount of palm oil, the crayfish and pepper and leave to boil for about 10 minutes. The palm oil serves as water in the Edikaikong soup. You should try as much as possible to make it the only liquid in the soup.
2. Add the periwinkle and water leaves and leave to cook for another 5 minutes. You may have to cook for less time at this stage so that the water leaves are not over-cooked.
3. Now add the pumpkin leaves and salt to taste. Stir the contents of the pot very well and turn off the heat. Cover the pot and leave to stand for about 5 minutes.
4. The Edikang Ikong soup is ready to be served with Garri (Eba), Semolina, Amala or Pounded Yam.

How to Make Nigerian Chin Chin

 

Nigerian Chin Chin is a crunchy deep-fried  snack, and quite easy to make. 
It's also a big party favorite and is usually served at birthday parties as an appetizer .It's a nice quick snack for guests and suitable as a movie night snack for the family; Kids love it too.

 The Nigerian Chin Chin is not just a big favorite because of its delicious taste, it is also loved by all because it keeps for a long period(about 4 weeks) if stored properly in airtight containers.
So if you're new at making any Nigerian Snack, you can be a winner with the Nigerian Chin Chin. Chin chin is known as Achomo in Ghana.
 
Ingredients for Nigerian Chin Chin 
•1kg of All purpose Flour(Plain Flour)
•200g of Margarine
•150 ml whole milk(100ml of evaporated milk / 75ml Condensed milk/70g of powdered milk)
• Half teaspoon of baking powder(optional)
•100g of granulated sugar
• Half a teaspoon Salt
•1 teaspoonful of ground nutmeg
•3 raw eggs(optional)
•Water(add bit by bit if you are not using whole milk)
•Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Preparation for  the Nigerian Chin Chin
-If you are using eggs, beat the eggs and set aside.

- Pour the sugar into a small bowl, add the milk and mix thoroughly.

- In a bigger bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.Mix well and then add the margarine. Mix thoroughly with your hands until it looks like fine bread crumbs.
  

- Add the eggs and the milk-sugar mixture into the bowl and mix well until you get a smooth but stiff dough.If you are using powdered milk, you can add a little water to get this consistency.
  

- Now place  the dough on a floured flat surface and knead for a minute. Then using a rolling pin, roll the dough flat and cut into any shape of choice. Note that the dough doubles in size when placed in the hot oil, so don't cut it too big.
  

- Heat up some oil until very hot and fry the Chin Chin dough. Stir continuously until all the chin chin changes from white to golden brown.
 

- Transfer the fried Chin chin onto a flat pan or tray and leave to cool completely, then store in an airtight container.Enjoy!

 There is no special way to enjoy the Nigerian Chin chin.You can eat it at any time of the day and at any occasions and  goes well with a good drink.

Nigerian Salad Recipe

 

Nigerian Salad also known as ''Nigerian mixed vegetable Salad'' is one of the richest salad recipes you can ever find. It is prepared with more than five vegetables, combined together and enriched with the classic Baked Beans and Cream.  
Believe me, this Salad is not complete without Baked Beans and Cream(or mayonnaise). So make sure you have these two ingredients at hand, if you really want to get the original Nigerian Salad.

Ingredients:

 
- 5 medium sized Carrots
- 1 medium bunch of Lettuce 
- 1 medium bunch of Cabbage
- 2 Handful green Peas
- 4 Medium sized Tomatoes (hard tomatoes)
- 3 pieces of Irish Potatoes 
- 2 pieces of Cucumber
- 4 Eggs 
- One tin of Baked Beans in tomato sauce  comes in a 415 gram can)
- 300g of Sweet Corn (2 small tins) 
- A bottle of Salad Cream  or Mayonnaise
 (Nigerian salad is usually served with Heinz  original Salad Cream, and comes in a bottle, but here in Spain, it is sold in a plastic bottle. In the absence of this, Mayonnaise or condensed milk can also be used)

It is very common to see extra ingredients added to Nigerian salad, such as corned beef,onions, canned red beans, boiled macaroni, green bell pepper and a lot more. So feel free to experiment with more or less.

Preparation:

Before you start with the  Salad

-Wash all the vegetables separately in sufficient water (add a spoonful of vinegar, baking soda or lemon juice to the water to help kill harmful bacteria) . Rinse thoroughly in fresh water.

- Boil the green peas for 2 minutes, strain it out and using the same pot, boil the eggs and potatoes together, the potatoes might cook before the eggs , so take it out when it is done and let the eggs boil until hard boiled.
 Set the peas aside for later use.
Peel of the egg shells and slice the eggs as thinly as you can.
Peel of the skin of the boiled potatoes and cut into small cubes.

- Slice the cabbage into tiny strips, then wash again and strain to remove excess water. Set aside for later use. 
Tip: (the cabbage might store ants or pesticide in its leaves, that's why it needs to be washed again after slicing) .

- Slice the lettuce into thin shreds.  
(make sure you washed  each leaf thoroughly, before use)
 
- Scrape the carrots and shred with a grater . Set aside for later use.

- Scrape off the green skin of the cucumber, cut into two equal halves , remove the seeds(you can eat it if you like) and then cut into small cubes. Set aside for later use.

- Cut the tomatoes into two halves, remove the seeds and cut into small cubes. Set aside for later use.


- Open the can of sweet corn, pour into a sieve to strain out the preservation water. Set the corn aside for later use.

- Open the can of  baked beans, pour into a small bowl and set aside for later use.  

Now that you have all the ingredients ready, it's time to put them together.  
  
1. Get a large salad bowl and place the vegetables in the bowl, layer by layer until there's nothing left.  
 
2. Place the sliced eggs on the prepared salad, and also spread the baked beans.
(Note: even though baked beans is symbolic to Nigerian salad,not everyone likes it in their salad, so it's better to serve it on demand)
 
 3. Now, cover the salad bowl and chill in the fridge until needed.
 
4.  Finally serve with the salad cream(or mayonnaise) and Enjoy.
 
 Nigerian salad is usually served as an accompaniment for Jollof Rice, Fried Rice and other Nigerian rice recipes. It can also be eaten alone or served with bread as a sandwich. 
 
 Nigerian salad like most raw vegetables can be preserved in the fridge but will only keep for 24 hours. So eat it while it's fresh and enjoy☺.

How to Prepare Fresh Fish Pepper Soup

This fish peppersoup recipe is simple and always makes a hearty evening meal.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 3 people


Ingredients:

• A handful of pepper soup seasonings and pods
• 5 dried scent leaves (efirin) or bush basil
• A handful of freshly chopped basil
• 2-3 tablespoons pepper soup mix depending on brand and chilli content
• 1 tablespoon groundnut paste or peanut butter (this gives soup some texture)
• 1 large ripe tomato, finely chop
• 1 medium fresh bream
• 1-2 serving spoons vegetable oil
• 3 seasoning cubes
• 1 litre water

Direction:
1. Wash fish in water with a squeeze of lemon. Cut into chunks. Drain and rub with some salt then set aside.

2. In a large pot, fry the chopped tomatoes in oil for about 2 minutes, then add 1 litre of water and bring to the boil. Add the pepper soup mix, pepper soup pods, scent leaves and seasoning cubes. Stir and leave to boil (under moderate heat) for 10 minutes to allow spices to infuse. Turn off heat, allow to stand for 5 minutes and sieve off the sediments (the spices).

3. Return to the stove and continue to cook under low heat. Add the groundnut paste and stir in. Add fish, cover and simmer for 5 minutes adding some hot water to adjust consistency. Add salt to taste. Add a handful of chopped basil. Stir and simmer for 2-5 minutes or until fish is cooked. Serve hot.

Egusi Soup - Igbo Style

This Igbo style melon seeds soup is traditionally made with a variety of ingredients such as dried fish, assorted meats and condiments. There is a distinct taste in this dish due the higher proportion of melon seeds and leafy vegetables sparingly used .
 


Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

• 200g ground pumpkin (egusi) seed
• 400g of beef
• 50g of cooked and boned stockfish pieces
  
  
• 3 spoons of ground dried crayfish
• 1 small bunch of ugu or bitter leaves
• 50ml of palm oil
• 2 seasoning cubes
• 1 small onions
• 4 large fresh tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon ground chilli powder

Direction: 1. Cut the beef into bite size pieces, season with 1 chopped onion and 1 seasoning cube. Add half a cup of water and boil for about 10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

2, Mix the ground egusi in half a cup of water. Set aside. Also blend the tomatoes, 1 onion and chilli. Set aside.

3. Heat the palm oil in another pot and add the egusi mixture. Stir well and allow the egusi to fry a little. Then add the blend and stir well. Add the ground crayfish, second seasoning cube and stockfish.

4. Add 2 cups of water and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Then add the boiled meat and stir. Turn heat down and simmer for a further 2 minutes.

5. Wash and finely slice the ugu leaves. Add to the simmering soup and stir in. Continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes to allow the vegetables to soften. Serve with cassava fufu or garri.

Nutritional Data (per 100g serving)
Calories: 196kcal
Fibre: 2g
Carb: 12g
Protein: 13g
Fat: 10g
Vitamins: E, K Omega6
Minerals: Iron, Calcium

Notes: Though this dish is high in fat, it is high in good fats which provide essential fatty acids needed for healthy brain function, skin, nails and hair.

**Calorie count for this dish will vary depending on the other ingredients used to prepare it.

Wizkid Shows Off His Wealth (PHOTO)

Wizkid who recently showed of his dollars bills while having fun in a strip club in Houston is no doubt living the good life.

He shared photo of his new expensive jewelry acquisitions on instagram with caption:
Just got me laced! Big face rose gold Rolex!!! Rose gold chain! Nd black diamonds earrings!! Big shoutout to my man @josephfrostoflondon !! Now waiting for my cuban to get here!! #motivation!!

Kim Kardashian And Kanye West’s Wedding Photo Sets Instagram Record For Most Like

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding photo has set a new Instagram record, People magazine reports. 1.92 million people have clicked that little red heart. The photo of the newlyweds locking lips, posted by Kimye on May 27, is now the most liked photo in Instagram’s three-year history.

The photo has knocked out an image of Selena Gomez embracing Justin Bieber, which Bieber posted in January. The photo held the record with nearly 1.82 million likes.
 

HIV Positive Prostitute Arrested For Having Sex With Dozens Of Minors In Israel

A HIV positive female sex worker has been arrested after she allegedly had sexual intercourse with dozens of minors, Israel.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/67313.html

A HIV positive prostitute has been arrested after she slept with underage teens in Israel

The incident came to light after boys' parents сontacted the police and filed a complaint about the unnamed prostitute. According to police sources, at least seven boys have been infected with HIV, probably after they slept with the "lady of the night".

Welfare authorities and school principals were made aware of the incident. Now the woman is under arrest as the case is investigated by the police. It was learnt that the affected boys are all under 14 and even if the prostitute is not HIV positive, she will be charged with child rape.

One of the boys said that all his friends were sleeping with this prostitute as she did not demand money for the services. The teens also made video of their "fun time" and showed it around in school.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/67313.html

Mama G, Aki, Mercy Aigbe, Others March For Kidnapped Schoolgirls

In a bid to add their voices to the call for the release of hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in Chobok, Borno State, some Nollywood stars led by Patience Ozokwor, popularly called Mama G, on Thursday staged a rally in Lagos, western Nigeria.

NAN reports that the actors, which included Chinedu Ikedieze, popularly known as Aki, Ejiro Okurame, Mercy Aigbe, Femi Ogedengbe, Thelma Okaz and Tony Akposhere, marched from Allen Avenue to Alausa Secretariat soliciting for the release of the abducted school girls.

It could be recalled that the Boko Haram insurgents kidnapped no fewer than 276 schoolgirls at the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State on 14 April, 2014.

More than seven weeks after the terror attack, the Islamist militant group are yet to release the girls claiming they would only swap them for their members captured by the Nigerian military.

While demonstrating earlier today, the Nollywood actors said the march was their own way of celebrating the Democracy Day because they were unhappy that the kidnapped school children were still being held by the Boko Haram sect.

The actors, who marched with various placards with various inscriptions asking for the release of the girls, were addressed by the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

* Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwor during Bring Back Our Girls rally in Lagos

They pleaded for the release of the girls by the Boko Haram sect.

While addressing the movie stars, Ikuforiji commended the actors for having the nation at heart and joining in the clamour for the release.

The speaker also assured them that government was doing its best to get the girls released, while also promising the actors that he would take their request to the government.

See The 20-Year-Old Who Did Not Grow Longer Than 30 Inches Due to Rare Condition

Most parents worry about the same things with their teenage children – such as good grades and staying out of trouble – but such typical concerns were not afforded for the Greenberg family of Maryland in the United States.

In 1993, they welcomed their third daughter, Brooke, into the world and were happily raising her until they realised that she had not grown in four months.

Brooke suffered from a condition so rare that doctor’s have simply named it Syndrome X because so little is known about it.

Syndrome X halts the ageing process, preventing Brooke from growing any larger than a small baby.

Throughout her life, the tiny teenager never weighed more than 17lbs or grew longer than 30 inches.

The Greenberg family struggled to get answers from the medical community – who were completely baffled by Brooke’s unusual illness.

“I do feel sad when I see kids the same age as Brooke,” said mother Melanie in tonight’s Channel 5 documentary.

“When I see where they are and what they’re doing every day.”

While Brooke defied the lifespan given to her by most experts the family consulted, she passed away last year at the age of 20.

“We just want to go on and live our lives,” adds dad Howard.

“And remember our daughter.”

Despite her sad passing, the infant’s unique DNA has potentially given Florida microbiologists a breakthrough insight into the study of Syndrome X which could allow the development of future treatment for the condition.