This Is How To Cook The Delicious Banga Soup – Say Thank You Later

Today is Friday! You can’t be more excited, especially as another month begins. Then (in whispers), if you are a salary earner… let’s not say everything.

You probably might have heard of banga soup. Try cooking it this weekend. It is said to be indigenous to the people of Delta State, in Nigeria – unlike the banga stew cooked in South Eastern states and served with white boiled rice or yam. This one is best served with starch or eba. However, both the banga stew and soup are made with similar ingredients.

Ingredients – Serving about 12 Persons.

• Meat (1kg)
• Crayfish (half cup)
• Fresh prawn [oporo] (one cup)
• Fresh palm fruits (Banga) (8 cups)
• Medium sized dry fish / smoked fish (1)
• Ata rodo [pepper] (8)
• Ataiko (1 tbsp)
• Irugege (1 teaspoon)
• Oburunbebe stick (Banga stick) (1)
• Dried beletientien leaves (half cup) or
• Thinly sliced bitter leaves (half cup)
• 3 cubes of knorr
• Periwinkles (1)
• Salt to taste.

You should use crushed dried beletientien leaves, also called atama leaf in Efik or thinly sliced bitter leaves.

• Start by grinding the spices. Add them all together (ataiko, Irugege and a cup of crayfish), blend to powder. Blend the pepper also. Wash the dried or smoked fish and remove center bones.
• Wash and precook the prawn, use half cup of water, a cube of maggi and a pinch of salt.
• Use precooked meats. Wash properly and use two cubes of knorr and a pinch of salt. Cook the meat until it becomes soft, easy to chew and the water is almost dried. Add salt to taste and allow another three minutes. Set aside.
• Boil the palm fruit for 20 minutes, pound with a mortar and pestle, transfer into a bowl, add water and extract the juice. You will need about 7-10 cups of that palm fruit juice for this cooking. It should be thick.
• Use a sieve to strain the extract into your cooking pot, allow to boil for 15 minutes with the pot half-covered. It should be a lot thicker now.
• Add the cleaned dried fish, ground (crayfish, ataiko plus irugege), oburunbebe stick, precooked meat, ground pepper and salt to taste. Cover and allow another 10 minutes.
• Add the crushed dried beletientien leaves or thinly sliced bitter leaves, precooked prawn, periwinkles and one cube of knorr. Stir, cover and allow to simmer for 3 minutes.

From allnigerianfoods.