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Spooning up a bowl of amazing palm nut soup
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Palm Nut Soup (Banga)

A West African soup made from heavily pounding palm nut fruit to extract the pulp. Then it's simmered in assorted meat, spices, and bitter leaf or spinach. So rich and hearty!
Course Main
Cuisine African
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Calories 357kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

  • 1 can concentrated palm nut pulp (or 1 kg of fresh palm nuts)
  • 2 pounds stew meat
  • Water (adjust to desired consistency)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ cup chopped onions
  • ½ pound smoked fish
  • ½ cup dried crayfish
  • 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized saucepan, add meat, salt, garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, onion, and water (enough to barely cover, adding as needed). Cook until tender, approximately 30-40 minutes. You can halve this process by using a pressure cooker or instant pot. Reserve beef stock.
  • If using palm nut concentrate, skip to instruction 5.
  • If using fresh palm nuts, place palm nuts in a large pot. Add water to cover the palm nuts and boil until tender (about 1 hour).
  • Place the cooked tender palm nuts into a mortar and pound to extract the pulp. Transfer them to a large bowl or pot and add 4 cups of hot water, then strain to separate the skin from the pulp. Place the palm nut concentrate in a pot.
  • If using the canned palm nut concentrate, dilute the concentrate with 2 cups of water and add to the pot.
  • Add the reserved beef stock, cooked meat, smoked fish, crayfish, beef bouillon, and salt. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until it is nice and thick.
  • Throw in the chopped spinach, and adjust for soup consistency with water or stock.
  • Adjust for salt and pepper and simmer for 2 more minutes.
  • Serve over rice or kwacoco.

Notes

  • To get a perfectly marinated flavor in your soup, simmer it as long as you have the patience. The spices will bloom and intensify as it cooks. 
  • You can add some acidity to the party with a squeeze of lemon juice to lighten things up and add some brightness. 
  • Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 240g | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 525mg | Potassium: 724mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 562IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 4mg