Palm nut soup is a soup made from the palm fruit common to the African community. In Ghana, palm nut soup is called abenkwan. In Nigeria, it is called banga soup, ofe akwu, oghwo amiedi, or izuwo ibiedi. … and vermicelli soup · Juka · Mykyrokka · Nam tok · Pig’s organ soup · Pork blood soup · Prdelačka · Svartsoppa.
Nutritional benefits of Banga Soup:- The Banga soup is an African delicacy that is eaten in the Nigeria and Ghana region. It is called Ame Edi (Ame means water and Edi means palm fruit) by the Urhobos in the Niger Delta and mainly eaten with Starch, Garri, Pounded Yam, Semolina, or Fufu. In the South-Eastern parts of Nigeria, Banga Soup is referred to as Ofe Akwu where Ofe means Soup / Stew and Akwu means palm fruit and is used mainly with white rice.
Banga fruits
The palm fruit oil extract used in cooking Banga Soup / Stew is very different from that of Palm Oil used in other cooking recipes. Palm Oil is the pure oil extracted from the palm fruit pulp at high temperatures while the palm fruit oil extract used for the Banga Soup is squeezed out of the cooked palm fruit at a very low temperature and is a mixture of oil and water. Palm fruit oil extracted for Banga Soup contains less saturated fat than palm oil.
Banga Soup is rich in vitamins A, E, and K which;
- is essential for building strong bones
- prevents heart disease.
- prevents Cancer risk.
- contributes to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
- improves Vision.
- reduces the effect of premenstrual syndrome symptoms such as insomnia, weight gain, bloating, leg swelling and breast tenderness.
- (palm kernel) contains Vitamins ‘A’ that is essential for healthy vision
- nourishes the human skin and hair
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Ingredients for Banga Soup
Palm Fruits 1 kg
Beef
Fresh fish /dried fish
Banga spices (etaiko, iroghoje, benetietie)
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons of ground Crayfish
Salt and fresh chilli pepper (to taste)
1-2 big stock cubes(Seasoning)
How to Prepare Banga Soup (Ame Edi)
Wash and Cook your Palm fruit until soft.
Drain the brownish, hot water out and immediately pound the fruit inside a mortar with your pestle (or hand squeeze the warm palm fruit) until the skin comes off, alternatively use the tinned palm fruit concentrate, open the tin and set aside.
Filter the oily mixture into a pot and add your fresh meat, onions, pepper and seasoning and cook meat until tender.
Add your fresh fish at this stage.
Add Banga spices, dried crushed bitter leaves and salt to taste.
The soup would have thickened by the time the meat is tender and the fresh fish is just cooked and not scattered in the soup.
Serve hot and enjoy with a plate of starch, garri, fufu or pounded yam etc.
For Banga soup (Ofe Akwu)
Place the cooked starch in a flat plate, and allow to cool down before you eat
Continue from number 3 above Cook the beef and the dry fish with 1 bulb of diced onion and the stock cubes till done.
Pound the crayfish, ogiri, okpei, and pepper in a mortar and add to the soup and allow to boil very well.
.Add the scent leaves into tiny pieces.
Cut the remaining bulb of onion. Add the scent leaves or other vegetables and salt to taste. The scent leaves give the Banga Stew (Ofe Akwu) its unique aroma and taste or use pumpkin leaves or waterleaf instead Leave to simmer for about 2 mins. The Ofe-Akwu Soup is done. Serve with White Rice
How to prepare Starch
- Get around the bottom pot and rub some palm oil into it.
- Put your starch extract into the pot and pour water into it
- Mix until the starch lump is smooth, and add some more water until the consistency is just a bit watery(not thick).
- Place pot and mixture on the heat and stir with a wooden spoon, continue stirring as the mixture thickens, then increase the speed of your turning spoon until the mixture forms into one big lump.
Cooked starch will be yellowish-orange in colour when done.
