Hey steemians and foodies in diaspora! Today i will be introducing to the world an all time favourite delicacy of the Delta People from the southern part of Nigeria. I come from a mixed tribe of urhobo and itsekiri. These two tribes are rich in culture, unique in their own ways but one thing brings them together. a delicacy that can unite two warring communities. Open your hearts and feed your eyes as i introduce you to the one the only legendary banga soup and starch! let the drum roll lol. this delicacy is something i dont joke with. it means so much to me as it reminds me of my roots, I was once told that early warriors of the delta had a custom of always eating starch and banga before going out to war, they believed it was an energy booster for speed and stealth. Now lets dive in to the process on how this delicacy worthy of gods is prepared.
we will begin with STARCH also know as USI.
I wont be doing this alone, i got help from a friend who is a food blogger. you can check out her blog for amazing food
Just so you know The Urhobos like their starch a bit hard while the Itsekiris prefer theirs softer. well, for me i really can do with either. My love for starch surpasses its texture.
So now let me show you how its made
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Total time: 15-20 minutes
Meal Type: Side dish
Misc.: Serve hot or cold
Utensil Needed:
Non stick frying pan/wide sauce pan
RECIPEE:
250g starch
400-500ml water (400ml harder consistency, 500ml softer consistency)
1 tbsp. palm oil
STEP BY STEP PROCESS
Step 1: Place the starch in the non stick frying pan, add water to it and melt the starch within with your hands until it becomes liquid. Add the palm oil to the pan.
Step 2: Mix nicely with a wooden spatula, making sure there are no hardened residues underneath. Let it flow freely. Set over medium heat and stir continuously in one direction. Soon you will see the starch coagulating.
POINT TO CONSIDER: Using a frying pan allows you to have full control of the cooking process. Holding the handle, you can tilt and bend the pan as you want while stirring with the spatula.
TADA...HERE you have it, starch is ready. Now lets get into the banga soup preparation
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BANGA (PALM FRUIT SOUP)
RECIPEE:
FOR MY RECIPEE I WILL BE USING
2 big derica cups of banga (palm nuts)
1 milk cup of periwinkle (optional)
Dried pepper (as spicy as you want it)
1 medium sized onion
1 teaspoon of blended Ataiko
1 teaspoon of blended Irugeje
1 tablespoon of beletete
2 tablespoons of blended dried crayfish (add more if you wish)
1 medium sized smoked fish
1 medium sized bush meat (Choice meat)
Assorted meat (Abodi, shaki, roundabout, ponmo)
4 Seasoning cubes of your choice (for cooking the assorted meat separately and for the main pot of soup)
Salt to taste.
STEP BY STEP PREPARATION PROCESS
Wash and boil palm nuts in a pot – Cook time should be 45minutes
When cooked, with a pestle, pound properly to loosen the skin off the nuts.
Extract oil with some water and run through a filter or sieve so as to seperate the shaft from the palm juice
Repeat process until you get the oil out and set aside.
In another pot, wash and cook your assorted meat (you are free to use whatever kind of meat or fish that suits you best).
Adding the sliced onion, 2 seasoning cubes of your choice and some salt to taste. Cut and taste bits of the meat until you get your required softness (some like theirs fairly cooked and others very cooked). Set aside.
In a bowl of warm water, wash the bush meat and smoked fish with some salt to loosen off the dirt. Rinse properly,cut to size and set aside.
Clean the de-shelled periwinkle by taking off the black scaly point on it, rinse properly and set aside
Pour the palm nut oil into a pot and set on your lit stove/cooker
Allow to boil for 10 minutes, then add the blended ataiko and irugeje and boil
Add the bush meat and periwinkle. Cook for 3 minutes
Add the assorted meat cook for 2 minutes
Then add the pepper, crayfish, 2 seasoning cubes and salt to taste and allow to cook until everything blends in
Lastly, you can add the beletete leaves and cook until the soup thickens a bit.
FOOD IS READY...other than stach banga soup can be eaten with other foods like pounded yam and white rice. you should try it.
For people not in nigeria, it may be challenging to get some of these recipee and ingredients, however you can substitute with canned palm oil and banga soup spice mixes in your African markets.
Enjoy
say yes to new adventures...