It’s Sunday and i decided to make palm nut soup for the family unlike the regular food on my family’s time table.
This palm nut soup is also known as Banga Soup which is commonly cooked in the south south region in Nigeria.
I learnt this recipe from my friend in Delta state, so i decided to share it here.
Palm-nut soup with or without fresh fish
Banga Soup can be prepared using fresh catfish (fresh fish Banga soup) or dried/smoked fish.
In this recipe, I opted for dried fish and stockfish, but you can definitely use fresh catfish if that’s your preference. Either way, this soup is very delicious with or without fresh catfish.
RECIPE
Beef: I used beef in this recipe but you can use an assortment of meat of your choice like tripe, cow leg, or any other beef part of your choice.
Onion: An essential aromatic that boosts the flavor of the beans. You can use any variety – white, yellow, or red.
Cameroon Pepper: This is used to add a bit of heat to the soup. You can use cayenne pepper or red chili flakes if you don’t have Cameroon pepper and if you want less heat, just skip it.
Seafood: Fresh Shrimps, crayfish, catfish, stockfish (dried cod), dry fish,
periwinkles. These are some seafood options that you can use. However, in this recipe, I used crayfish, stockfish, and dried fish.
Habanero or scotch bonnet: Either will work
Palm-nut fruits
Banga spice: A mixture blend of Ataiko and Irugeje in a dry mill. Readily available in market
Banga spice leaves(Beletete leaves): You can substitute with dried basil, bitter leaf or dried scent leaves
Oburunbebe stick:
Dried Fish: washed and soaked in hot water.
Salt: Add salt and seasoning powder or seasoning cubes to taste.
Water/stock: I also added the recovered beef stock to boost the taste of the soup. If you don’t have any stock you can add a little more seasoning powder (stock cube).
Tips for Making The most delicious Banga Soup
Season and spice to your level. This is the fun and creative part of cooking this soup. Banga calls for a handful of spice and seasoning so be sure to taste as you go and adjust the flavors as you like.
A good finishing: I always finish this soup with beletete. It adds richness and makes the flavors come alive. If you don’t have that, feel free to use bitter leaves or scent leaves.
Make enough for the next day: Most soups taste better on the second day, including Banga, so be sure to make enough to have a reserve for the next day.
Once the soup is set, serve with swallow or rice but I prefer serving my Banga Soup with rice.