Banga Soup (Mid Western Nigeria)

Ingredients:

  • Palm fruits Cream – (1kg or 800g tinned Palm Fruit Concentrate)
  • Beef
  • Dry fish
  • Stock – (fish cooked)
  • Scent leave / Dried Bitter leaves
  • Beletete/Atama leave.
  • Onions x 2
  • Crayfish (Ground) – table spoons.
  • Salt and Chilli pepper – (Discretional)
  • Ogiri Okpei (Iru) (seasoning mix)
  • Maggi cubes x 2
  • Banga spice x 3
  • Oburunbebe stick(optional)
  • Water -(400-500g or meat stock)

 

 Methods:

Extract the palm fruit concentrate from the palm fruits.Cook the beef and the dry fish with 1 bulb of diced onion and the stock cubes till done.Wash and cut the scent leaves into tiny pieces. The scent leaves give the Banga Stew (Ofe Akwu) its unique aroma and taste (dried crushed bitter leaves could be an alternative). Cut the remaining bulb of onion. Pound the crayfish, ogiri okpei and pepper in a mortar and set aside.

Set the pot of palm fruit extract on the stove and start cooking at high heat. Leave to boil till you notice red oil at the surface of the Banga Stew. If you think that the Banga Soup is watery, cook till the soup has thickened to the consistency you like for your stews. Add the beef, dry fish and stock, the onions, crayfish and pepper and leave to boil very well.

Add the scent leaves or other vegetable and salt to taste. Leave to simmer for about 2 mins. The Banga Soup is done. Serve with swallow of your choice-  Starch, Garri, Semo, Rice, Amala or Pounded Yam.

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