Nine Steps In Cooking A Delicious Banga Soup (Ofe Akwu)

Nine Steps In Cooking A Delicious Banga Soup (Ofe Akwu)

- Written by Jeremiah Genesis Ezra (Jeremy) & Chinyere Happiness Nwodili

Hello Dear, welcome to my blog, Today Chinyere Happiness Nwodili will be teaching us on how to cook a delicious banga soup, So sip your drink and let's ride!

BANGA SOUP ( OFE AKWU) RECIPE

Description:

•Banga soup means palm fruit/nut soup and is to the people

of the southern part of Nigeria ( Niger Delta ).

•It is quite similar to ofe akwu ( Igbo style of palm fruits soup )

and Abak Atama ( Efik style of palm fruit soup ), with the only

difference being the type of spices and herbs in preparation.

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•In Igbo land, this food/soup is usually called Banga stew while

in Delta state, it is usually called Banga soup.

Preparation before cooking

•Wash the palm fruits and place in a pot and add clean water

just enough to cover the palm fruits in the pot. After 30

minutes, it should be thoroughly cooked or you can check if it

has soft by biting into one of the nuts. If it has soft then it is

ready, then drain/sieve the water, place the banga in a bowl/

pot/mortar and pound gently to extract the juice. When the

skin separates from the nuts, add warm/hot water and

squeeze, then sieve out the palm fruit juice ( make sure you

do not add too much water, the juice should be thick ).

Igbo version of Banga soup ( ofe akwu ) main Ingredients

Fresh palm fruits ( banga )

Meat or fresh Fish ( of your choice )

Banga spices

Scent leaves ( a handful )

Stockfish ( 1 large head )

Dried or smoked fish

Pepper to taste and choice

Crayfish ( ground )

Onion ( 1 chopped bulb )

Stock cubes ( of your choice )

Salt to taste

Optional Ingredients for ofe akwu

Snails

Catfish

Ogiri ( locust beans )

Cow skin ( kpomo )

Alternative ingredients

Palm fruits or tinned palm fruits oil

Dried or smoked fish

Dried or fresh peppers

Meat or fresh fish

Cooking of the ( ofe akwu ) Banga soup

Step 1: Parboil your meat or fresh fish.

Step 2: Extract the Banga oil from the palm fruits.

Step 3: Place the Banga fruits extract in a pot and allow to boil

for 30 to 40 minutes or until the oil begins to rise to the top of

it.

Step 4: Pour in your meat/ fish Stock into the cooking pot.

Step 5: Add in your grounded pepper, grounded crayfish, stock

cubes, ogiri, and Banga spices and brings to boil.

Step 6: You can now add in the steamed meat or fish into the

cooking soup.

Step 7: Add in your scent leaves and allow to simmer for few

minutes.

Step 8: Taste for salt and other spices.

Step 9: Turn off the heat and your off akwu is ready.

Eaten/ serve

The ofe akwu can be eaten with white boiled rice, yam or any

swallows of your choice.