Name: Nigerian Banga Soup
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: 800g palm fruit concentrate (or 2 cans of palm fruit cream); 500g assorted meat (beef, goat, or cow skin/ponmo), cut into bite-sized pieces; 300g fresh catfish or tilapia, cleaned and cut into chunks; 2 tablespoons ground crayfish; 3 tablespoons palm oil; 2 tablespoons banga spice mix (or 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme, cloves, and bay leaves); 2 large onions, finely chopped; 2-3 scotch bonnet peppers (habaneros), chopped (adjust to taste); 2 tablespoons ground dried obeletientien leaves (or substitute with 1 tablespoon dried basil); Salt to taste; 2 stock cubes (beef or chicken flavor); 1 cup sliced fresh or frozen okra (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the meat

In a large pot, add the meat pieces with 1 chopped onion, 1 stock cube, and salt. Add enough water to cover the meat and cook until tender, about 30-40 minutes. Reserve the meat stock.
Extract the palm fruit

If using fresh palm fruits, boil them until soft, then pound and extract the juice with water. If using canned concentrate, dilute with 4 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine and simmer

Add the cooked meat and reserved stock to the palm fruit extract. Stir in the ground crayfish, remaining chopped onion, scotch bonnet peppers, and banga spice mix. Simmer on medium heat for about 25-30 minutes, allowing the soup to reduce and thicken.
Add fish and seasonings

Gently add the fish chunks, palm oil, remaining stock cube, and salt to taste. If using okra, add it now. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the fish is cooked but still firm.
Finish with herbs

Stir in the ground obeletientien leaves (or dried basil) and allow to simmer for a final 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Rest and serve

Remove from heat and allow the soup to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors to blend together perfectly. Serve hot with starchy sides like pounded yam, eba (garri), or fufu.

Nigerian Banga Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutritional Information