Banga, also known as Oghwo amiedi in Urhobo language and izuwo ibiedi in Isoko language, is a type of palm fruit soup from Southern Niger Delta Nigeria particularly the Urhobo ethnic group. This cuisine is quite different from “Ofe Akwu” which is a variant found in Igbo culture according to the wikipedia, and it looks like this
Ingredients
Palm kernel nuts
-1 Onions
-6 pieces Pepper or grinded red pepper
-Seasoning (Maggi, Rogojie, Obeletientien(dried bitter leaf) you should get it in any local market especially in the west and south)
-1 kg Beef meat/goat meat/fish( personally I prefer fresh fish
– Periwinkle( a handful)
-Banga soup spices
periwinkle or Isam.
Banga soup spices
OR
lets start( REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS PROPERLY BEFORE COOKING, AND ITS ALSO IMPORTANT YOU MAINTAIN A CLEAN COOKING ENVIRONMENT)
STEP 1: Rinse all the main ingredients, the periwinkle, the fish, if you have your beef or chicken, this is the perfect time to parboil them and set them aside, Rinse the palm nuts 2-3 times with water then place in a medium sized pot( henceforth it would be referred to as” banga”). Add clean water just enough to cover the banga in the pot and cook on the burner for 30 mins till it gets soft. you can check this by biting into one of the nuts. If it’s soft, then its ready to pound,
STEP TWO
Drain the water from the cooked banga, and pour the banga into a big bowl or a mortar,you can start pounding immediately while its very hot with a pestle(to help us extract enough juice out of our banga), you should see something like this
Add warm water to the mixture , mix it properly with your hand (it might be very hot, but you would get used to it, add a lilttle water if you desire to) till you get the desired quantity of water you desire( please make sure its not so watery). You can repeat this process twice to get enough banga juice. Then strain the palm oil into a bowl, you can use a filter or a sieve.
STEP 3:
Pour the clean banga juice into a pot and cook on the burner for 30-35 mins to allow it bowl properly,after that you can add your pepper,crayfish,blended onion,and allow to cook 10 more mins,
STEP FOUR
Add your washed fish and Periwinkle to the mixture
Cover properly to simmer for another 25-30mins to allow the fish cook properly.
By now you should have gotten a thick mixture, add your beef or chicken,banga soup spices, Rogojie, Obeletientien( a pinch of both would do, or 3/4 pf a teaspoon, this applies to the rogojie and obeletientien.). Add salt and your desired seasoning to taste, be careful while stirring , you might want to stir from the sides, to keep our fish intact.Leave to simmer for another 10- 15mins….. Waaaaaalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,Food is ready.
You can serve with Eba, starch, pounded yam, but its usually served with Eba or starch. Best eaten in a native black plate known as ‘Evwere’
Bon Appétit!!!!!!!!!!!
