Banga stew has over the years topped the list of Nigerian stew recipes due to its uniqueness and blend of natural ingredients.
I learned that it is more advisable to make a stew with palm oil than groundnut/vegetable oil.
This is entirely different from the Deltan version that is served with starch or eba.
If that is what you are looking to make, here is the recipe – Delta Banga Soup
The Banga stew (ofe akwu) is very easy to make and very popular in the eastern part of Nigeria, almost every ingredient used in Making this stew could be gotten from the farm.
That is why it is a little bit easier for folks in rural areas while it remains difficult for people outside the country to find all the ingredients that are required.
This is another kind of Nigerian stew popularly eaten by the Igbos and some other parts of Nigeria; I would prefer this stew above Nigerian tomato stew any day.
This is a bowl of a delicious plate of rice, served with banga stew (ofe akwu) plus a sprinkle of peas. (the peas was boiled for 3 minutes on low heat).
Here is a list of ingredients used in making Nigerian Banga soup (stew) ‘ofe akwu’, (as the Igbos like to call it).
Most of these ingredients can be purchased from any Nigerian market or African shops in case you live outside Nigeria.
Ingredients For Ofe Akwu (Banga Stew)
Serving: 6×2 Persons
Banga (palm fruit) (9-10 cups)
1 kg of assorted meat
500 g mackerel
1 sachet of ‘Onga soup’ spice
A cup of Sliced onions
2 cups of sliced fluted pumpkin(optional)
3 seasoning cubes
A cup of sliced Scent leave
Dried fish (200g)
Half cup of ground Crayfish
Fresh or dried pepper to taste
Salt to taste
“Onga soup (Onga classic)” is a special kind of spice that I use in making Nigerian banga stew and few other Nigerian foods, You will find this in the video below.
Onga is made by promasidora (Nigeria) LTD, I think the company is located in Switzerland.
Like I always say; there are lots of spices and flavors used in making Nigerian foods, most of which are also franchised in almost every country of the world.
Take knorr cube, for instance, this ingredient is available in almost every country of the world in different forms and shapes, knorr or maggi is used in almost every known Nigeria food as seasoning cubes.
The good thing is that you can use almost any spice for Nigerian foods although there are just a few that are irreplaceable.
How to Prepare Ofe Akwu
Below is the image of pounded palm fruit with a portion of the squeezed-out thick juice in a plate.
Soak the dried fish in hot water and wash thoroughly to remove sand and dirt,
blend the crayfish or blend together with dry pepper if you are making banga stew with dried pepper, although I prefer to use red fresh peppers.
Chop the onion and scent leaves, set aside in a plate, I like to make most foods with lots of onions just because of its health benefits.
Cook the palm fruits (banga fruits) for 30 to 50 minutes then pound with a mortar and pestle, you will see how this is done in the video below.
Pour water in a bowl, add the pounded palm fruit and try to squeeze out the thick paste.
The palm fruit juice is a major part of banga stew this can also be used in making Nigerian soups (then you wouldn’t need palm oil).
Pour the squeezed-out thick juice into a bowl and set aside.
How To Cook Banga Soup (Ofe Akwu).
Wash the meat and mackerel (fish) with water and parboil with a separate pot till it is tender (be sure to add the ingredients – use the 2 seasonings cubes, a teaspoon of salt, half cup of onions).
Remove the fish after 10 minutes.
It is possible to make a delicious meal with tasteless meat, that is the only reason I advise you to use lots of ingredients while parboiling the meat.
Then very little or none while making the main foods, just use the meat stock (water from the meat) and you will be fine.
Add the squeezed-out palm fruit juice to the boiling meat on fire.
Add the (dried fish and crayfish) to the cooking pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add your spices if it is not yet as tasteful as required. (Sachet of “onga soup” and/or a seasoning cube). Stir and add the scent leave (chopped), sliced onions, salt and pepper to taste.
Add the precooked mackerel fish.
Cover and cook for another minute then add the chopped vegetables (Ugu)(optional), allow to simmer for another 3 minutes and you just made a delicious Nigerian banga stew (ofe akwu)
Serve with rice, yam or cooked beans.
That is how to make banga soup (stew) in Nigeria, the Igbos call it “ofe akwu”.
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Ofe Akwu | How to Cook Banga Stew
Equipment
- Pots
Ingredients
- 10 cups Banga palm fruit
- 1 Kg Assorted meat
- 500 g Mackrele
- 1 sachet of ‘Onga soup’ spice
- A cup of Sliced onions
- 2 cups of sliced fluted pumpkin optional
- 3 seasoning cubes
- 1 cup of sliced Scent leave
- 200 g dried fish
- 1/2 cup ground Crayfish
- Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by boiling the palm fruit with just water, it should be ready to pound in 15 minutes. Pound using mortar and pestle.
- Add water to the pounded Banga seeds and squeeze out the thick paste. It should be around 10 cups and thick. Set aside in a large bowl.
- Season the meat and mackerel and precook using the right spices. A teaspoon of salt, two seasoning cubes, and onions.
- Remove the fish after 10 minutes and cook the meat till it becomes soft.
- Once the meat is cooked, add the palm fruit paste and allow it to boil.
- Add the washed dried fish and crayfish to the boiling pot.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, a seasoning cube and/or onga classic (half teaspoon), taste your stew. Add the remaining sliced onions and the precooked mackerel.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes before adding the chopped scent leaves.
- Banga stew (Ofe Akwu) is served with rice, beans or white boiled yam.
Video
Banga Stew Video
Above is the video for making Nigerian Banga soup, This video will make the whole process a lot easy to follow, you will learn about all the ingredients I used in making this Nigerian Stew Recipe and of course, the whole tricks involved.
48 Comments
I prepared ofe akwu yesterday and my husband did not stop eating rather licking the stew to my satisfaction. Aunty Chy you are a darling for keeping my family alive. Do u know that now we are eating small concoction rice and my sweetheart is asking me what is happening. Aunty Chy i love u so much .how i wish my family and i will see u so as to thank and embrace u.God will surely bless u abundantly for everything.
Wooow aunty chy u are God sent. I have learn many things here and thanks for making them easy for me. God bless u more for teaching me how to make ofe akwu (banga soup)
You are just simply the best. No more comment
Is this the igbo style? Bcos here in. Niger delta we use banga spice and dry bitter leave
Yes dear that’s the Igbo style. We eat with rice & is very yummy. Niger Delta eat theirs with eba if am right & i bet is yummy for u guys as well
Thank you so much for all this details and videos I really appreciate what I have learnt from your sharing. God bless you
Wow this is grate , but can i use the tin one ? because here in UK i only see the already made banga
the tin one with d complete Banga spices will gv u a perfect soul. u can go ahead n try it.
Him I tried it and my daughter ask me to cook it every week end. In short u are a gift from God to mankind. Love u
I stumbled on this site while searching for how to cook white soup and am already an addict. Good job Aunty Chi. God bless u
I stay in Nigeria, but the last time I went to uk to visit my twin I decided to make banga soup for him, so I went to the shops all I could find was the tin one, decided to use it and it tasted exactly the same like the one squeezed out from palm fruit, it was nice plus I didn’t go through the usual stress of boiling, pounding and squeezing!
This is what have been looking for…Banga soup! Thanks Chy.
Ofe Akwu is da bomb mehnn…any day any time!! Thanks Ma…I love mine with goat meat, intestine(afor anu) and fish. But pls Ma could this be seen as a healthy food too?
it is my favourite
Ofe akwu anyday anytime, especially dis time dt tomato is expensive. My kids luv it a lot.
I use onga classic to make mine..will try the onga soup. Thanks.
Thank you Ma’am. I added the Banga spice (sachet) and it came out great. Thank you once again. Pls how can I prepare white soup?
Wow so lovely.Tnks ma
I stay in the States and the only banga we can find here are the tinned ones. They taste great just like the fresh ones.. One secret ive learnt while preparing it is dont add too much water. Thankd
Yea Ofe Akwu is nice,kudos to u.
so lovely ma u are the best I love you
God will surely bless you Chi for magnanimous sharing up knowledge and gift. Love u!
God will surely bless you Chi for magnanimously sharing your knowledge and gift. Love u!
Madam, u are too much. Taking us round Nigeria. I will surely make this banga soup, have not eaten it since this year. Thanks
Pls i would like to ask cant it be eaten with eba, pandoyam or fufu? Thank you for your various newsletters.
U’re d best
Well done chy
Adding bitterleave is when you want to use it for swallow, as a kind of soup. That is when you add those spices. But here it is a prepared as a kind or alternative to stew for rice.
m enjoying this web site every day, thanks
So sweet ,I can’t Wait to prepare this delicious ofe akwu.thanks and GOD bless u.
Wow this banga stew is so lovely, bravo ma!
Nice banga soup, I will try and cook it.
Wow! I love it. thanks for d help
I like the way you explained the difference between the Deltan Banga and Igbo banga. I am a Yoruba woman married to a Yoruba man but I love banga and other eastern/southern food.
I have been cooking banga for almost 6years now and I do add scent leave at times which I can use to eat either rice or Eba and my family loves it
Some people use ehuru aswell and banga spiece, Ehuru gives it that local taste. Try it.
Yummy Yummy… God bless Sis Chy
I made mine last Friday and it was yummy all the way
.. Thanks so much
I add okpei when making mine kudos
Wow! So nice!
Wow I love this and I will try it for my fiance and I am sure he will love it. Thanks aunty chi
Onions in ofe akwu is a big no to me.
The method of adding the extracted akwu juice to cooked meat is also a no to me cos the akwu extract takes time to get thick,when you add your akwu juice to boiled meat,the meat will be too soft and tasteless by the time the akwu juice thickens.
Thank you so much Ma, I just prepared my Ofe akwu so yummy. Even the white soup is also delicious.
U 4got the banga spices. They give the stew a distinct aroma. If u asked the igbo women at the market, they will give you either the ground ones or the ones u grind ursef. Weldon. This is the one website i ve seen well prepared (except the spices i mentioned. Lolz). Others add egusi and okra. A combination i don’t like. Kudos