Last Updated 10/12/2020

Looking for Nigerian Palm nut soup recipe? 

This recipe post would show you how to make 3 different delicious types of palm nut soups.

  1. Banga Soup
  2. Abak Atama
  3. Ofe Akwu

Let's begin from the top...

How to make Banga Soup 

Here's how to make Banga soup:

Banga Soup Recipe

Recipe by Fitnigerian

This recipe is the original way of making Banga Soup from the Niger-Delta part of Nigeria.

4.7 Star Rating

Banga Soup Recipe

Category:
Soup

Method:
Cooked

Cuisine:
Nigerian

Serves
8 people

Prep Time
30 Min

Total Time
1 Hour

Ingredients:
  • 10 cups of fresh palm fruits OR 400g of palm fruit cream
  • 1kg of Assorted meat
  • ½ cup of ground crayfish
  • 3 packets of Banga spice OR 1 teaspoon each of Ataiko and Irugege.
  • 1 medium sized dry/smoked fish
  • ½ cup of dried, crushed Beletientien leaves
  • 1 Oburunbebe stick
  • 500g or 1 cup of either fresh shrimps or prawns (you can add more seafood
  • according to preference)
  • 1 cup of shelled periwinkle
  • 2-6 red scotch bonnet (Ata-rodo) peppers
  • Half of a small onion, minced or diced
  • Salt to taste
  • Seasoning cube(s), according to taste
  • Water
Directions: 
  1. 1
    Blend your pepper and set aside. Blend your Banga spices if sourced individually and set aside then soak dry/smoked fish in hot water to remove dirt and debone.
  2. 2
    To extract the palm cream if not using canned palm nut cream, wash your palm fruits then boil for about 20minutes or till it’s soft. Crush in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Transfer into a bowl then add water to extract the juice/cream.
    N.B: you want it thick, so don’t add a lot of water. 
  3. 3
    In a pot, add your assorted meat, season with your minced/diced onions, seasoning cubes and salt. Add water enough to the level of the meats and allow to cook till it’s tender and easy to chew. You can also precook your washed prawns/shrimps with salt and seasoning cube.
  4. 4
    With a sieve, strain the palm cream extract into the pot containing your assorted meat and allow to cook for about 15-20mins.
  5. 5
    After 20mins, add your ground crayfish, blended Banga spice or packets, blended Ata-rodo pepper, dried fish and Oburunbebe stick. Bring to a boil for about 5mins.
    N.B: You can add a little water if it’s too thick for you. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.
  6. 6
    Add your pre cooked prawns/shrimps, Beletientien leaves and periwinkles, stir to combine and allow to simmer for about 3minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
  7. 7
    Take off heat. Serve with Starch, Fufu or Eba. Enjoy!
Video: 
Notes: 
  • Irugege is also known as rigije, rohoji, or rogojie.
  • Alternatively, dried bitter leaves (onugbu) can be used in place of Beletientien leaves
  • Traditionally, Banga soup is made with “Fresh fish”
Share this recipe: 

How To Make Abak Atama Soup

Here's how to make Abak Atama soup:

Abak Atama Soup Recipe

Recipe by Fitnigerian

This recipe is the gold standard way of making Abak Atama soup from the Ibibios of Akwa Ibom State in Southern Nigeria.

4.7 Star Rating

Abak Atama Soup recipe

Category:
Soup

Method:
Cooked

Cuisine:
Nigerian

Serves
6 people

Prep Time
30 Min

Total Time
1 Hour 10 Min

Ingredients:
  • 500g of palm fruits OR canned palm cream
  • 1 small piece of Uyayak
  • 1 small bunch of Atama leaves, a sliced handful
  • 8 medium pieces of beef
  • 1 medium sized dry/smoked fish
  • 1 stock fish head
  • 1 cup of periwinkle in shell, optional
  • 3 tablespoons of ground crayfish
  • 1 tablespoon of dry/ black pepper
  • 10 medium pieces of cow skin (Ponmo)
  • ½ of a small onion, diced
  • 2 Maggi cubes
  • Salt to taste
  • About 2½ liters of water (for extraction)
Directions: 
  1. 1
    From the tail end of the periwinkle, cut a little piece to remove the intestine and then wash thoroughly to remove all dirts. Soak your dry/smoked fish in hot water to remove all dirts and debone then set aside.
  2. 2
    In extracting your palm cream, wash your palm fruits, cook for about 20mins or till it’s soft and pound till the chaff/fibers come off the nuts. Add warm water to the pounded palm fruit and mix thoroughly.
    N.B: We want a thick extract, so avoid adding too much water. With the use of a sieve, separate the extract (cream, juice, oil) from the chaffs in a pot and set aside.
  3. 3
    Season your meat and cow skin with diced onions, seasoning cube and salt in a pot and steam on low heat. Add about two cups of water then add your stock fish head and cook till it’s tender and cooked thoroughly.
  4. 4
    Wash your sliced Atama leaves and pound till it’s finely pounded.
  5. 5
    Put the pot containing your palm (cream, juice, oily) extract to a boil for about 5 minutes.
  6. 6
    Add your meat stock, cooked meat, Ponmo, washed dry/smoked fish, periwinkle, ground crayfish, pepper, uyayak and seasoning cube, stir to combine and allow to simmer for about 5-10minutes.
  7. 7
    Add Atama leaves and allow to simmer for about 10minutes without stirring. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
  8. 8
    For the soup to be slightly thickened, allow to simmer for a bit longer (10-15mins) but it’s entirely based on preference. Take off heat and serve with Fufu, Pounded yam or Eba.
Video: 
Notes: 
  • Uyayak's other names are Aidan fruit, Tyko, Uhio, Aridan.
Share this recipe: 

How To Make Abak Atama Soup

Here's how to make Ofe Akwu:

Ofe Akwu Recipe

Recipe by Fitnigerian

This recipe is the gold standard way of making Ofe Akwu/Banga stew from the Igbos of Eastern Nigeria.

4.7 Star Rating

Ofe Akwu Recipe

Category:
Stew

Method:
Cooked

Cuisine:
Nigerian

Serves
12 people

Prep Time
20 Min

Total Time
1 Hour

Ingredients:
  • 800g of palm fruits or 1 can of palm fruit concentrate/cream
  • 1 medium sized smoked fish, cleaned and deboned
  • ¼ cup of ground crayfish
  • 1 cup of scent leaves, washed and sliced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 500g of smoked turkey or beef
  • Seasoning cube(s) to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 small wrap of Ogiri or iru, optional
  • 3 cups of beef stock
Directions: 
  1. 1
    If extracting from palm fruits, bring your palm fruits to a boil till it’s soft then pound till the chaff is out of the nuts. Add warm water to the pounded palm fruit and with the use of a sieve, strain out the extract from the chaff into a bowl and set aside.
  2. 2
    In a pot on low-medium heat, add your smoked turkey or beef, meat stock, diced onions, seasoning cube(s) and salt and allow to simmer for about 5-10mins.
  3. 3
    After which, add your extracted palm (cream, juice, oil) or canned palm fruit concentrate and allow to boil for a few minutes.
  4. 4
    Add your smoked fish, ground crayfish, ogiri (optional) and pepper then stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Let it cook for a while for it to thicken to whichever consistency you prefer.
  5. 5
    Add your sliced/ shredded scent leaves, allow to simmer for about 2 minutes then take off heat. Serve with rice and/or beans.
Video: 
Notes: 
  • Scent leaves, called nchoanwu in Igbo
  • In place of scent leaves, you can manage to use Basil or parsley leaves .
Share this recipe: 
Related recipes 

Summary & FAQ

Nigerian Palm Nut Soup Recipe(3 Best Types) - FitNigerian
Nigerian Palm Nut Soup Recipe(3 Best Types) 1

Looking for Nigerian Palm nut soup recipe? 

Type: Main course

Cuisine: Nigerian

Recipe Yield: 6 servings

Preparation Time: PT10M

Cooking Time: PT20M

Total Time: PT30M

Recipe Ingredients:

  • Palm Fruit
  • Ataiko
  • Irugege
  • Oburunbebe stick
  • Beletientien leaves
  • Onion
  • Crayfish
  • Dry Fish
  • Periwinkle
  • Assorted Meat
  • Prawns
  • Peppers
  • Salt
  • Seasoning Cube

Editor's Rating:
4.7

Your Turn

Let me know in the comments below which of these recipe you'll  be trying first.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}