Banga Soup Recipe

- Advertisement -

Banga soup is a delectable palm nut-based stew from Nigeria, with flavors of smoked fish, herbs, and aromatic spices. It’s a beloved comfort food cherished for its rich, velvety texture and unmistakable umami taste.

Which Tribe Has Banga Soup in Nigeria?

Banga soup in Nigeria is primarily associated with the Niger Delta region, particularly enjoyed by the Urhobo and Itsekiri tribes. While the Igbos have their version called “Banga Stew,” served with boiled white rice. Starch with Banga soup is a delicacy originating from the Niger-Delta tribes.

Starch
Image Credit: Facebook

What Is Banga Soup Made Of?

Banga soup recipe is made from a base of palm nut concentrate, along with smoked fish (typically mackerel or catfish), vegetables like bitter leaf or ugwu leaf, spices like chilli pepper and dried fish, and flavorful seasonings like crayfish, garlic, ginger and scent leaves.

How to Make Banga Soup Thick?

To make Banga soup thick, cook the palm fruit pulp until the oil floats to the top. Add a thickener like ofor powder or ground cocoyam in small increments until the desired consistency is reached. The soup will continue to thicken as it cools.
Banga Soup Recipe

What Does Banga Soup Taste Like?

Banga soup has a pleasant, nutty flavor. The taste is a delicate balance of the palm fruit’s sweetness and the savory flavors of the spices and proteins used, such as catfish and crayfish.

Nutritional Benefits of Banga Soup

It promotes healthy skin Palm nut fruits used to make Banga soup contain vitamin A, which hugely helps the skin. It also contains Vitamin E which nourishes, beautifies the skin and prevents it from dryness.

It has a natural antioxidant that helps to give the skin a fresh and beautiful look. If you desire beautiful and fresh skin, then you should start taking Banga soup with other foods like eba, starch, Semo and more. For people with skin diseases, you might consider taking Banga soup to help improve your skin’s health.

It prevents cancer Banga soup helps to prevent cancerous cell growth in the body. It has high antioxidant properties that help fight breast cancer and skin cancer due to the Vitamin E it supplies to the body. Palm nut fruit contains palm oil, which is rich in vitamins.

It gives you healthy bones Vitamin A is essential in the body for healthy bones. It aids the proper growth of your bones. It also prevents Alzheimer’s disease.

It prevents heart disease  Palm oil in Banga soup adds little or no cholesterol to the body, and this prevents heart disease. You can be assured of a healthy heart when taking Banga soup or palm oil. This is why most people recommend palm oil instead of groundnut oil.

banga soup

Banga Soup

Avatar photoTaiwo Oladapo
A beloved comfort food cherished for its rich, velvety texture and unmistakable umami taste.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Soup, stew
Cuisine Nigerian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg palm Fruits or 800g tinned Palm Fruit
  • Dry Fish
  • Dried crushed bitter leaves
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 tbsp ground crayfish
  • Salt and Chilli Pepper (to taste)
  • Ogiri Okpei (Iru)
  • 1 big stock fish

Instructions
 

Before you cook the Nigerian Banga Soup

  • Extract the palm fruit concentrate from the palm fruits. If using the tinned palm fruit concentrate, open the tin and set aside.
  • Cook the beef and the dry fish with 1 bulb of diced onion and the stock cubes till done.
  • Cut the remaining bulb of the onion. Pound the crayfish, ogiri okpei and pepper in a mortar and set aside. You can also grind them with a dry mill.

Cooking the Banga

  • Set the pot of palm fruit extract on the stove and start cooking at high heat.
  • Leave to boil till you notice the red oil at the surface of the Banga Stew.
  • If you think the Banga Soup is watery, cook till the soup has thickened to the consistency you like for your stews.
  • Now, add the beef, dry fish and stock, onions, crayfish and pepper and leave to boil very well.
  • Add the dried crushed bitter leaves and salt to taste. Leave to simmer for about 2 mins. The Banga Soup is ready.
  • Serve with Starch, Garri, Semolina, Amala or Pounded Yam.
Keyword Banga soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Share this post:
spot_img

Must Try Recipes

You'll also love