EDITAN

Ingredients
*      4 medium size snails (optional)
*      1 large size of smoked fish
*      1 medium size of stockfish head
*      8 medium pieces of beef (optional)
*      2 cups of periwinkle (in shell)
*      2 small bunches of Odusa leaves (optional)
*      1 big bunch of Editan leaves
*      4 medium heaps of water leaves
*      3 tablespoons of ground crayfish
*      1 level tablespoon of dry pepper
*       4 cooking spoons of palm oil
*      3 Maggi cube
*      1½ litres of water
*      Salt to taste

Preparation
1.     Wash, season and boil the stockfish together with the beef for about 45 minutes and set aside for use later.


2.     Wash and bone the fish
3.     Pour boiling water on already cut and pounded Editan leaves then strain. Rinse the leaves thrice to reduce the bitterness.
4.     Pick and wash the water leaves and cut into tiny pieces.
5.     Get rid of some of its water by squeezing a little bunch at a time between your palms.
6.     Pick and wash the Odusa leaves then cut into fine pieces.
7.     Chop off the periwinkle tail with a large knife, remove intestine, wash thoroughly to remove all the dirt and mud.
8.     Add the periwinkle (which can be used either in shell or out of shell) into the meat pot and continue cooking.
9.     Add the water leaves and stir.
10.   Add fish, crayfish, pepper, water, Maggi cubes and allow to cook for another 6 minutes, then stir.
11.   Add the palm oil, stir and cook for about 5 minutes.
12.   Add the Editan leaves and cover the pot.
13.   Do not stir immediately after adding Editan leaves, just cook for 10 – 15 minutes.
14.   But you can shake the pot to enable the leaves have an even spread.
15.   After 10 – 15 minutes, stir and taste the soup
16.   Add salt if necessary, then add Odusa leaves last and cook for another 4 minutes.
17.   Editan soup is served with fufu, ekpang iwa or eba.