3 different Nigerian soups made from palm fruit

When it comes to delicious Nigerian soups, there are multiple options to pick from. One thing that makes them even more amazing is the fact that one ingredient can be used to make different kinds of soups thanks to the different culture in Nigeria.

An example is the palm fruit, also known as banga, which is not only healthy, but can be made into different popular soups. Here are three of them. 

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Banga soup is one of the most famous dishes made from palm fruit and is a delicacy of the Niger Delta region. Banga soup has this rich and creamy consistency, and it is often paired with starch or eba. Banga soup is made by boiling and extracting the juice from palm fruit.  

Ingredients include;  

- Palm fruit (banga) extract  

- Fresh catfish, dried fish or meat (goat meat or beef)  

- Crayfish  

- Banga spices (oburunbebe stick, ataiko, and others)  

-  Dried bitter leaves  

- Seasoning cubes and salt 

The palm fruit extract is boiled with spices and seasonings, for the soup. Fresh fish or meat is added, along with the leaves to give that burst of aroma. 

Ofe Akwu is the Igbo variation of palm fruit soup, with a slightly different preparation and taste. Unlike Banga soup, Ofe Akwu often uses fewer spices but it is cooked with vegetables like ugu leaves (pumpkin leaves) and/or scent leaves.  

Ingredients include;

- Palm fruit (akwu) extract  

- Beef, goat meat, or chicken  

- Dried fish or stockfish  

- Ugu leaves or scent leaves  

- Crayfish  

- Onion (optional)  

- Seasoning cubes and salt  

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The palm fruit extract is cooked with seasonings, crayfish, and meat or fish. The soup is finished with fresh ugu leaves for a touch of freshness. Ofe Akwu is often served with boiled white rice, making it a comforting and hearty dish.

Atama soup is another rich, flavorful palm fruit soup and it is popular among the Efik and Ibibio people of Southern Nigeria. Its distinguishing feature is the addition of atama leaves, which gives the soup a slightly bitter yet aromatic taste.

Ingredients include;

- Palm fruit extract  

- Goat meat, beef, or fresh fish  

- Crayfish  

- Periwinkle  

- Atama leaves (shredded)  

- Seasoning cubes and salt 

After extracting the juice from the palm fruit, it is boiled and seasoned with spices and crayfish. Meat or fish is added, followed by shredded atama leaves. The soup is thick, aromatic, and pairs beautifully with fufu, eba, or pounded yam.  

How many of these soups have you tried?

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