Atama soup commonly referred to as banga soup is one of the delicacies common to the people of Akwa Ibom state and Calabar of Cross River State. It’s one of the meals which on sight can initiate profuse salivation, unrest and desire to taste of it.
Atama soup is unique in that it’s source of oil is directly from the fresh palm fruit mesocarp and epicarp rather from already processed palm oil.
Ingredients:
• Palm fruits, atama leaf, waterleaf, Stockfish, dry fish, cow meat, periwinkle (unshelled Preferably), Crayfish, Salt, Maggi cubes, Onions.
procedure:
• wash and slice the atama leaf
• Wash and boil the palm fruits until they are done
• Pound the palm fruits in a mortar to peel of the fibrous mesocarp from the stony endocarp
• wash and filter off the mesocarp and endoocarp so the fresh oily fluid is extracted and ready for use
• Pour the oily extract into a clean pot, add stockfish and boil until the stockfish is very soft.
• into the steaming pot add salt, ground pepper and crayfish, dry fish, sauced meat (with the onions inclusive) and periwinkle, stir and steam for about 15 mins.
• add waterleaf, stir and allow to steam for 5-7 mins and then after 5 mins you add the final ingredient, the atama leaf.
• stir an taste to ensure appropriate quantity of ingredients
• Allow to steam for 5 mins then stir and bring down your mouth watering Atama (banga) soup.
• if your neighbors come knocking, then you’ve just caused trouble with the aroma.
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