Tuesday 9 June 2015

Banga soup




Would you mention two soups from Delta State without mentioning Banga? I strongly doubt that. This is the most popular soup from my part of Nigeria and we eat it with relish.
Made from palm kernel, the cream/butter is extracted and used as a base for the soup. Its actually eaten in various parts of Africa with different variations, the igbos call theirs ofe akwu, there are so many variations across Africa and West africa in particular.
Banga soup is popularly eaten with starch, pounded yam and eba. Its also eaten with rice and used as a base for another rice dish called Banga Rice which we will bring to the blog soon. This is one rich flavorful soup that everyone needs to try!!!

*As with most Nigerian soups, dried fish is recommended if available to turn up the taste.
* The women at the market usually sell all of the Banga  spices together. There are typically 4 spices namely obeletietie, oburunbebe stick, yanghayanghan, rohojie seeds. A bit of bitter leaf can also be added.
In cooking this I used a prepacked spice mix which I've found to be very good, the only draw back is that I'm missing out on the use of the oburunbebe stick which gives an amazing taste and scent to this awesome soup.

*Mix meat (cooked)
*Any fish of your choice 
*Sea snail or periwinkle 
*Tinned palm fruit (400g)
*Mix dried fish (stock or catfish) optional 
*Fresh prawns (optional)
*Dried blended pepper
*Blended banga spice (shop bought)
*Uda sticks (2) optional 
*Crayfish 
*Dried banga leave (obeletientien)
*Stock cubes



1. Place a pot on the cooker, add in water... Once the water start boiling pour in the palm fruit extract 


2.  Add in the pepper, banga spice and crayfish 


3. Next the Uda sticks 


4. The mixed meat


5. The dried fish 


6. The fish, then stock cubes. Allow to cook for some minutes 


7. Then add in the prawns and cleaned sea snails 


8. Then the banga leaves, stir together allowing to cook for few more mins. 


The house smells so lovely, the oil should depart from the sauce slightly.. 

I accompanied mine with starch (potatoes starch)


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