How to cook Banga Rice
Banga (palm fruit) can be found in the Niger delta region and also used by the Ibo’s. It is used to prepare the popular Banga soup and Ofe aku. Today, we are giving you the recipe for banga rice (one of the many ways to explore with rice) and we are doing it the local way!
Ingredients:
Banga palm fruit (or the canned oil)
1 medium size onions
1 tea spoon of cayenne pepper
Ground dried prawns (please note this is different in taste and flavour than ground crayfish)
Banana leaves (moi moi leaves)
Directions:
1. Wash all your leaves and set aside.
2. If you are using the palm fruits, boil for 35mins (or until soft). When soft pour the water away and then pound the nut with a mortar adding small water in the process, when done pour in a pot and boil for 15 mins. If you use the canned oil, add 3 and a half cups of water and ¾ of the banga oil into the pot and stir until it dissolves into the water and boil for 15 mins.
3. Add the chopped onions and scotch bonnet (diced) into the pot. 5 mins later add the dry grounded crayfish and the dry grounded prawns.
4. Soak the fish in hot boiling water for 10 mins. This will soften the catfish.
5. When the oil starts to separate from the soup add the rice, salt and cayenne pepper and stir the rice. Turn heat down and cover the pot with uma/banana leave (you can use foil paper in place of the leaf).
6.Once rice is almost dry add the fresh cooked prawns and emevwere into the pot and stir. Cover for an additional 15 mins. Rice is ready.
Banga rice can be served in banana leaf with dried fish or bush meat. Enjoy!