BANGA SOUP

• INGREDIENTS
  
• Assorted meat (Goat meat, beef, cowtail, shaki, bush meat if available)
• Smoked or Fresh Fish depending on your choice
  
• Pepper (Dried and ground)
• Ataieko and igeriejae spices
• Onions
• Maggi cube
• Curry & Thyme
• Salt
• Egusi 'melon' or Okro (optional)
  
• Bitter leaf ' dried'
  
• Crayfish (dried) or shrimps
• Palm nut sauce

PREPARATION

Put the washed and cleaned assorted meat in a pot. Add a few cups of water, onions, curry, thyme, maggi cube seasonings and salt to taste. Bring to boil for about 15- 20minutes.

Add the pre-soaked and washed dried (smoked) fish and boil for another 5 minutes.

Now add the palm nut cream sauce and add about one and a half part water to a can of the palm nut sauce. Add about one to two tablespoonful of dried pepper according to how much pepper or hot spice you can tolerate.

Include tomatoes puree, grounded onion, maggi cubes and dried crayfish. For real exotic African taste, add about half teaspoonful of grounded ataieko and igeriejae spices. Some would include dried bitter leaf. Add salt again, to taste.

Allow to boil for another 10 -15 minutes.

Some would add okro to thicken the soup if using dried fish, or grounded egusi (melon) if using fresh fish.

You may also decide to use chicken.

What makes this soup unique is the fresh taste and aroma of palm nut. This soup can be served with either pounded yam, garri, elubo lafun/amala or fufu. Any one you choose to serve banga soup with is always a great delicacy anytime any day.