Ofe akwu (banga stew)

Banga soup (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 stew with palm oil than groundnut/vegetable oil.

The Banga soup (ofe akwa) is very easy to make and a very popular stew in Anambra state of nigeria.

All of these ingredients can be purchased from any Nigerian market or African shops in case you live outside Nigeria.

Ingredients:
□ Serving : 6×2 Persons

• Banga (palm fruit) (about 10 cups)

• 2kg of Meat (I used chicken,beef and fresh fish)

•1 big onion (I love onion)

• 2 cubes of knorr

• A small bunch of Scent leave, shredded

• dried fish (600g)

• half cup of blended Crayfish

• fresh or dried pepper to taste

• salt to taste.


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.

Chop the onion and set aside

How To Make Banga Soup (Ofe Akwu).

• 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 squeeze out the thick liquid.

• Pour the squeezed-out thick palm fruit juice into a bowl and set aside.

• Wash the meat with hot water and parboil with a separate pot till it is tender

•  add  2 cubes of knorr, teaspoon of salt, half cup of onions.

• 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

• stir and add the scent leave (shredded), diced onions, salt and pepper to taste

• allow to simmer for another 3 minutes and your banga stew (ofe akwu)

• Serve with rice or yam.