Efik & Ibibio • South-South Nigerian Culinary Heritage

Editan & Okro Soup

South-South Nigerian Leaf & Okro Soup

Finely prepared editan leaves and tender okro simmered with assorted meats, fish and periwinkles in a deeply seasoned palm-oil broth.

PREPARATION

40 minutes

COOKING

55 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 35 minutes

SERVES

6 servings

FROM THE MAISON PANTRY

Ingredients

4 ounces CaMasi Maison™ Premium Dried Editan Leaf
1 pound fresh okro, finely sliced
1½ pounds assorted beef and cow skin, cut into serving pieces
4 ounces dried stockfish, soaked, softened and cleaned
4 ounces dried fish, rinsed and deboned
8 ounces shelled periwinkles, thoroughly cleaned
½ cup natural red palm oil
¼ cup ground crayfish
1 small onion, finely chopped
1–2 habanero peppers, blended or adjusted to taste
4 cups meat or fish stock, divided and used as needed
1 teaspoon ground Cameroon pepper
2 teaspoons premium sea salt, divided and adjusted to taste

THE MAISON METHOD

Preparation Method

Prepare the editan: Place the dried editan leaves in a large bowl and cover them with warm water. Soak for 10–15 minutes, then massage the leaves gently between your palms. Drain and rinse repeatedly until clean and the natural bitterness is balanced to your preference. Squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
Prepare the okro: Rinse the fresh okro, trim the ends and slice it finely into small rounds. Set aside without adding water.
Season the meat: Place the assorted meat and cow skin in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium heat until the meat begins to release its juices.
Build the stock: Add the softened stockfish and enough water to cover the meat lightly. Simmer for 25–35 minutes, or until the meat and cow skin are tender. Reserve approximately 4 cups of the cooking stock.
Season the foundation: Add the palm oil, ground crayfish, blended habanero and Cameroon pepper to the pot. Stir gently and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the fish and periwinkles: Fold in the dried fish and cleaned periwinkles. Add enough reserved stock to create a rich but moderately thick broth, then simmer for 6–8 minutes.
Cook the editan: Separate the prepared leaves with your fingers and add them gradually to the pot. Stir thoroughly, cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes until tender and evenly distributed.
Add the okro: Stir in the finely sliced okro. Simmer uncovered for 5–7 minutes, stirring gently, until the soup develops a light, pleasant draw while the okro remains tender and vibrant.
Balance and serve: Taste and adjust the remaining sea salt and pepper. Add a little reserved stock if the soup is too thick. Remove from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

A NOTE FROM THE MAISON

Maison Notes

Editan has a distinctive natural bitterness. Rinse the rehydrated leaves thoroughly, tasting a small piece between rinses, until the flavor is balanced without being completely removed.
Add the okro near the end of cooking and avoid vigorous stirring. This preserves its fresh character while creating the soup’s traditional light viscosity.
For the cleanest periwinkles, rinse them repeatedly in salted water until no grit remains before adding them to the soup.
Serve warm with eba, pounded yam, oat swallow, plantain flour swallow or your preferred heritage accompaniment.

PLEASE NOTE

Allergen Information

Contains fish, shellfish and mollusks from the stockfish, dried fish, periwinkles and ground crayfish. Check all packaged seasonings before use. Prepared in a kitchen where other allergens may be present.

FROM THE CAMASI MAISON PANTRY