Palm nut soup


Palm nut soup is a soup made from the palm fruit common to the African community. In Ghana, palm nut soup is called abenkwan. In Nigeria, it is called banga soup, ofe akwu, oghwo amiedi, or izuwo ibiedi. The delicacy is used to accompany other dishes such as fufu, banku, rice and so on.

By region

Nigeria

Banga, also known as Oghwo amiedi in Urhobo language and izuwo ibiedi in Isoko language, is a type of palm fruit soup from Southern the Niger Delta Nigeria particularly the Urhobo ethnic group. This cuisine is quite different from "Ofe Akwu" which is a variant found in Igbo culture. The Binis have a soup from palm fruits similar to "Ofe Aku" in ingredients and manner of preparation.
Banga soup is flavored with beletete, aidan fruit, rohojie, Banga spice leaves called Obenetietien), a stick of oburunbebe, finely chopped onion, ground crayfish, chili pepper or scotch bonnet, and salt. The soup sometimes eaten with a cocoyam pudding called kwacoco. Banga Soup is mostly prepared using fresh catfish dried/smoked fish or meat.
The soup can also make a wonderfully delicious dish when made with the addition of Okra vegetable.
Banga soup is ceremonially and most preferably eaten with a yellow thick starchy paste from cassava starch called "Usi" by the Urhobos as well as their Isoko and Okpe kinsmen. Non Urhobos prefer using eba because eating "Oghwo" with "Usi" is an indigenous craft.

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