I would have titled this Banga soup but I've noticed that the people to whom these named soups are supposedly native to are quite touchy when the soups are made from creative recipes different from the ones they're used to. When I was growing up, my mum would make something similar to this recipe and we would call it palm nut bitter leaf soup in Igbo which I later found was quite similar to what is called Banga. In this recipe, palm nut is replaced with palm oil.
Ingredients
5 pounds of beef
3 fresh peppers
1 medium sized onion
3 heaped tablespoons of crayfish
1 pack of frozen shrimp
1 pack of dried bitterleaf
1 teaspoon of mixed native soup spices
3 ladlefuls of cocoyam flour
5 ladlefuls of palm oil
 |
| Boil the beef for 30 minutes or until down. Add water depending on the quantity of soup you want. |
 |
| Soak the dried bitterleaf in hot water for 30 minutes |
 |
| Blended pepper, onions and crayfish |
 |
| Palm oil - I had to melt it first in the microwave |
Add the native soup spices and cocoyam flour to the pot, and slowly simmer till it starts bubbling.
 |
| Add the frozen shrimps |
 |
| Add the bitterleaf, check for salt and spices to taste, and your soup is ready. |
Eat palm oil bitter leaf soup with poundo, eba, or any other foo-foo. When I was in Nigeria, akpu or santana for the initiated, was the best bet for this soup. Yum Yum.
Hello Myne, thanks for this recipe. Pls what exactly is dried bitter leaf? I'm not familiar with what you are showing here. Can I use ordinary bitter leaf? The one I know? The ones sold here in Lagos markets? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Anon, I meant the usual bitter leaf, and yes, you can use the ordinary freshly washed ones you buy from the market. We don't get the fresh one where I live that's why I use the washed and dried one.
DeleteBitter leaf is good for us health-wise. You should not substitute it for another leaf. Try it first by eating it in a restaurant. The 'tingy' taste is lovely. I love mine in Egusi soup more than this type.
ReplyDeleteSome people add bitter leaf to yam porridge and ogbona soup. The list goes on.
I agree, the taste might be off putting but it is quite healthy. Thanks!
DeleteI actually like this because in time past, I made my banga soup without adding bitter leaf until I tried adding dried bitter leaf once. My family loved it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Debby, I used to miss the freshly washed bitter leaf, but I'm getting used to this now :)
DeleteThis is OK to be called Banga, I love how your end pot looked, yummy!
ReplyDeleteLovely recipe! For me I particularly love the use of dried bitter leaf in banga soup as a spice. Myne, maybe u can invite me to share my mum's banga soup recipe with you. You'll probably forget your address after demolishing the meal! ;-)
ReplyDeleteLOL...I will like to have that recipe o, please send it in.
DeleteAm Anambra and we call that bitter leaf soup (ofe onubu) and ogiri is added.
ReplyDeleteWhy is cocoyam floor used cos we re nt used 2 adding dat, its either bitter leaf with egusi or okro
ReplyDeleteThis is a different type of soup from the ones you mentioned.
DeleteObservation: I guess you failed to put dry fish, did u boil and pound the cocoyam?
ReplyDeleteThis process is very helpful. Sure i did follow the steps and it helped. I used processed cassava, See what i got: http://t.co/VvYBlEt3hb
ReplyDeletepls. is it possible to cook bitter leaf soup like efo riro i.e without adding cocoyam or melon?
ReplyDelete