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Cooking is just my hobby and what I love so much. The first day my husband came to my house, it was the food he tasted that gave him the assurance that I will become his wife.
I'm always hundred percent sure of my cooking skills. Although, the food he loved most is Banga soup eaten with eba (gari). He also likes soup eaten with eba or fufu.
Everyone knew me as the woman with the cooking skills including my husband's friends and my friends as well.
One day, my husband's friend's birthday to be precise, my husband asked me to prepare Banga soup just to surprise his friend. He gave me money to buy fish and Banga as well as other ingredients needed to cook the soup. I bought the items and started the cooking. I bought Banga spices, but I don't love using it as I always want my Banga soup to be natural. After preparing the Eba, I place the Banga on fire. It was on heat for 30 minutes.
When that was done, I decided to pound it. Although, at some point, my husband helped me in the pounding process. I sieve it by removing the shaft leaving the thick water behind. The water left is the real deal of the soup.
I place the soup on fire. As I have said earlier, I love preparing it naturally without adding the spices. What I do add is bitter leaf, pepper, magi and salt, and crayfish (blended). The crayfish will bring out the fine aroma.
I left the soups to finish after putting the fish (dried) and other spices apart from the normal Banga spices. I went to the parlor to sit waiting for my soup to finish. A few minutes later, I was perceiving the Banga spices. I knew I never added the Banga spices to the soup. I tasted it and observed that the spices had been added. I asked my husband who confirmed that he added it. He said he thought I forgot to add the spices.
The soup does not taste natural just like the way my husband's friend always likes it. I was not happy and could not prepare another one.
When they finally arrived, I was not ready to dish out the soup. I told my husband to go out and get something else for them. He was contemplating, but his contemplation turned to doubt. I tasted the soups again but this time, it was extremely not better. I don't know how to describe the way it tastes. I called my husband to taste it again just to be sure if they should be served or get them another option. He tried it and said it was not too bad.
I served them water first. My fear and concern was not for my husband's friend, but for the man that came with him. He was an important personnel and a guest. I just wanted to treat him better. Natural taste was the best I could figure out which my husband had tempered with.
So, I had to serve them with water just to strengthen and quench their immediate taste. It was chilled water. After taking the water, the man said “this water is so chill”. His statement took me back again to the food. “He had praised the water, will he be able to praise the food the same way?” That was the question that kept lingering in my mind. This was a mistake I had never made in the history of cooking. If I want to use spices I will know it's spices and there is a way I always prepare such soup, compared to the one without spices..
I served them washing hand water awaiting the real deal. Then followed by the Eba. I gazed at their faces stylishly. It was as if they were waiting for me to bring the soup as fast as possible just because of the aroma they were perceiving.
I dished the soup and dropped it on the table in front of them. They washed their hands and started eating. My heart was not alright, but seriously waiting for their condemnation. The man first shouted “heyyyy”. That shout to me means the soup is tasteless. That was to my own understanding.
“This is too delicious.”, Hearing this statement gave me some elements of assurance. I gazed at my husband, who was already waiting for my gaze.
My husband's friend was busy squandering the Eba without making a comment. When they were done, the man took the plate and started licking it. He licked every stain of the soup present on the plate.
At last my mind calm down as no one complained.