When cooking fresh fish banga soup, it has to be made from freshly squeezed palm fruit juice. Palm fruit is available in most of the markets in southern Nigeria. You will need fresh fish to get the best taste for this sumptuous meal.

Fresh Fish Banga soup

Freshly squeezed palm fruit has a different texture and flavour than palm fruit that has been canned. All I can say is that more has to be done to enhance the flavour and texture of the brands offered in the Nigerian market. 

Ingredients of Fresh Fish Banga soup

The soup is mostly consumed and some people love exploring recipes and cuisines from other regions of Nigeria, as is the case with many Nigerian soups. You can choose to use fresh fish to prepare this yummy soup instead of smoked fish. 

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this dish; even if it seems long, it will be worthwhile

• If you have access to fresh palm fruit, use canned palm nut fruit concentrate instead of Banga spice (you may make your own by combining Ataiko and Irugeje in a dry mill or purchase a premade mix).
• Use dried basil, bitter leaf, or dried scent leaf in place of betel leaves.
• Any other fresh fish would also work well in this dish, as would freshly cleaned and gutted catfish steaks.
• Assorted beef: Known as meat offal in Nigerian culture, this includes tripe (shaki), lungs, liver, cow leg, and other parts of the animal.
• Raw Shrimps
• Use dried prawns as a substitute for ground crayfish.
• Chilli scotch bonnet: Although a yellow scotch bonnet is suggested.
• Replace dried cod (panel) with smoked fish.
• Beef stock and cubes for seasoning
• Salt
• Water
• The onion

How to Cook Banga Soup

• Add salt, onions, and seasoning cubes to fresh fish, then cook with the water until the fish is tender. (Distribute meat between reserve and stock stock.)
• Put the palm nut fruit in a big pan over medium heat and dilute it with twice as much warm water as the palm fruit was used. I filled the pan with 1.6 litres of water after using 800 grammes of palm fruit. At this time, you can add any tough beef to help soften it more and allow the flavour to seep in.
• After thoroughly mixing, bring to a boil for around 20 minutes. At this stage, don’t put a lid on the pan since it will boil over. Place a wooden spoon over the pot to prevent this from occurring.
• By now, you should be able to see the oil floating on top of the soup and the palm fruit extract bubbling and thickening.
• Stir in mixed scotch bonnet, mixed beef, and periwinkle, and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
• You can sense the rich aroma of the Banga spice added to the soup.
• Check the soup for salt and seasoning, and if necessary, thin it with the stock that was set aside. (Stir occasionally to prevent the soup from adhering to the pan’s bottom.
• If you want, you can scoop out the floating oil and use it for another Nigerian local dish
• Your soup is ready to be served with starch, Eba, fufu, pounded yam or any other swallow of your choice.

Tips on How to Cook Yummy Fresh Fish Banga Soup

• Before you start cooking your Banga soup, prepare your ingredients. If you are using palm fruits, take the concentrated palm oil out of the fruits. If you are using the concentrated tin of palm fruit oil, open the tin and set it aside.
• The beef should be cleaned and then placed in a pot with water, dry fish, seasoning cubes, and a chopped onion bulb. Cook, stirring, until done.
• You can use your crushed and dried bitter leaves, or you can wash and slice your fragrant leaves, according to your desire. On the other hand, you can choose to cook your Banga soup without any vegetables.
• Grind the crayfish, locust beans, and pepper. Chop the remaining onion bulb and set it aside.
• Before you start cooking your Banga soup, prepare your ingredients. If you are using palm fruits, take the concentrated palm oil out of the fruits. If you are using the concentrated tin of palm fruit oil, open the tin and set it aside.
• The beef should be cleaned and then placed in a pot with water, dry fish, seasoning cubes, and a chopped onion bulb. Cook, stirring, until done.
• You can use your crushed and dried bitter leaves, or you can wash and slice your fragrant leaves, according to your desire. On the other hand, you can choose to cook your Banga soup without any vegetables.