Banga Soup Ijaw-Style with Periwinkle and Freshwater Clams
Ijaw banga soup is a distinct preparation that diverges from the Delta/Urhobo version in its exclusive use of freshwater shellfish — fresh periwinkle, freshwater clams (isam), and dried mudfish — and its use of oburunbebe stick (banga spice bark) as the foundational aromatic rather than dried banga spice packets. The result is a cleaner, more intensely briny and smoky soup that tastes of the Niger Delta creeks it comes from. This is strictly an Ijaw recipe and should not be confused with Urhobo banga or Igbo ofe akwu — they are three distinct soups despite sharing palm fruit as a base.
Total Time
1 hr 45 min
Prep
40 min
Cook
65 min
Servings
5
Cuisine
Nigerian Ijaw
478kcal
Calories
29g
Protein
18g
Carbs
34g
Fat
4g
Fiber
How to Make It
- 1
Boil the fresh palm fruits for 20–25 minutes until soft. Pound in a mortar, then add hot water progressively to extract all the cream. Strain through a sieve twice to remove fibre and seeds, yielding a rich, blood-orange palm cream.
- 2
Pour the palm cream into a large pot. Add the oburunbebe stick and ataiko. Bring to a medium simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring, until the cream thickens slightly and the aromatic oils from the bark have infused.
- 3
Add the blended tomatoes, blended onion, and scotch bonnet. Stir and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
- 4
Add the soaked dried mudfish and crayfish. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- 5
Add the periwinkle (with shells — the cracked tips allow the meat to slide out during eating, which is the traditional way). Add the freshwater clams. Stir gently and cook for 12–15 minutes until all shellfish are fully cooked and the soup has reached a thick, coating consistency.
- 6
Season with seasoning cube and salt. Remove the oburunbebe stick. Add the obeletientien leaves, stir, and take off the heat immediately. The leaf should be barely wilted, not cooked to death.
- 7
Serve with starch (cassava starch) or eba. The periwinkle is eaten by sucking the meat from the shell at the table.
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