Banga soup is mostly consumed in the Niger Delta regions along with a variety of fufu dishes, including starch, mashed yam, semolina, garri, and cassava fufu. Banga Soup is known as Ofe Akwu in the South Eastern regions of Nigeria, you can learn more about banga soup spice you will need to get the best flavour.

What is Banga Soup Spice?

Banga Soup is extracted at a relatively low temperature and is a mixture of oil and water, palm oil is pure oil extracted from the palm fruit pulp at high temperatures. Compared to palm oils, the extracted palm fruit oil used in Banga Soup has less saturated fat.

Banga spice is a hot mixture that piques your interest in flavour. You’ll enjoy it once you give it a try, even if you haven’t heard of it before. An essential ingredient in the making of banga soup. Don’t restrict its use to making sauces, though. For a delectable new flavour that you will want to experience repeatedly, try adding just a tiny dab to various foods and drinks.

Banga Soup Spice

Aidan Fruit Uyayak: This is a medicinal spice that is used to make African cuisine. It has immune-stimulating and other important health benefits. Africans greatly like its pleasant scent, and the fruits are primarily used to flavour foods like pepper soup and banga soup. Compared to guava or oranges, the fruit is a better source of vitamin C. 

Oburunbebe Stick: This is one of the elements in banga soup that gives it its distinct flavours and aromas, thus it may awaken your senses. A brown herbal stick called an oburunbebe stick is frequently used for medical purposes.

Chilli Peppers and Scotch Bonnets: Hot peppers are very beneficial to health. It is rich in copper, iron, and the antioxidant capsaicin. It is also high in vitamins A, C, and K. Capsaicin fights cancer, lowers inflammation and sinusitis, and vitamin C concentration strengthens the body’s immune system. 

Ingredients for Nigerian Banga Soup

• One pound of cooked meat
• One medium-sized fresh codfish, seasoned with one teaspoon dry chilli powder and chopped.
• a small handful of cooked or sliced stock fish
• One little, dry fish
• One ½ pound of fresh shrimp (if you’re feeling particularly daring, you might even add mussels)
• 400g of banga puree, or cream of palm fruit
• 400–500g of meat stock or water
• Three bags of Banga Spice
• Two teaspoons of beletete
• (ose-Nsukka) 2 crushed habanero peppers (ata-rodo)
• half of a tiny, finely chopped onion
• one teaspoon of dried chilli
• 1 teaspoon crayfish
• Stick Oburunbebe (optional)
• water
• Salt from Bouillon to flavour

What is the Difference Between Ofe Akwu and Banga Soup?

• Ofe Akwu and Banga soups are identical in preparation and made with palm nut fruit concentrate, but they originate from various regions of Nigeria and have different tastes.

• While Banga Soup is typically eaten with starch (called stash by the Niger Deltans), Ofe Akwu is typically served with white rice. It is a cassava-based eba type of swallow.

• For the making of Ofe Akwu, scent leaves (nchoanwu) are used, whereas for the creation of Banga Soup, bitter leaves (Onugbu) are utilised.

• Banga Soup’s unique flavour is created by adding specific seasonings to the soup. For Ofe Akwu, those particular spices are not necessary.

• Because of the physical position of the Niger Delta. Usually, seafood are used to make Banga soup. When preparing Ofe Akwu, Igbos frequently use smoked meats.

What can be Served With Ofe Akwu?

The following sides can be served with ofe akwu.

• White rice, plain
• White rice with vegetables
• Simple white rice with beans
• Combination of white rice, beans, and boiled or fried plantains
• You can even pair it with any type of swallow cuisine you choose, such as eba Banga Soup, Ofe Akwwu, or mashed yam. 20 minutes for prep; 35 minutes for cooking; easy difficulty

How is Banga Soup Made?

Step 1: Prepare your ingredients before you begin to cook your Banga soup. If you are utilising palm fruits, then extract your concentrated palm oil from the fruits. Open the tin and set it aside if you are using the concentrated tin of palm fruit oil.

Step 2: After washing the beef, put it in a pot with some water, dry fish, seasoning cubes, and one chopped onion bulb. Stir and cook until done.

Step 3: Depending on your preference, you can either utilise your dried and crushed bitter leaves or wash and chop your fragrant leaves. However, you have the option to make your Banga soup without any veggies.

Step 4: Grind the pepper, locust beans, and crayfish. Chop the leftover onion bulb and reserve. Put the pot of palm oil extract on high heat and cook it until the Banga’s surface is covered in red oil. Cook the soup until it thickens if it isn’t as thick as you would want.

Step 5: Stock, dry fish, and cooked meat should all be added to the soup. Simmer for approximately five minutes after adding the pepper and ground crayfish.

Step 6: Add dried and crushed bitter plants or your favourite aroma leaves to the soup. At this time, add the salt and boil for approximately two minutes.

You can now enjoy your Banga soup. However, if you’re using concentrated palm fruit in a can, just add it to your cooked beef and fish along with the stock and proceed as normal to prepare your Banga soup.