Mbanga Soup (Cameroonian Palm Nut Soup with Beef and Smoked Fish)
In short: Rich red palm nut soup simmered with beef, smoked fish, crayfish and chili until thick and fragrant, served with rice, plantain or cassava. It takes about 2 h in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h 40 min
- Total
- 2 h
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 390 kcal
Mbanga is Cameroon's palm nut soup, made from the thick red pulp of palm fruit. It is simmered with beef, smoked fish, ground crayfish, onion and chili until it turns glossy and the oil rises in a bright orange layer. On the coast it is traditionally served with kwacoco, grated cocoyam steamed in banana leaf, but boiled plantain, cassava or rice are easier to find.
Instructions
- Put the beef, quartered onion, garlic, ginger, bouillon cube, 1 tsp salt and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, and simmer covered for 1 hour, until the beef is tender.
- Stir the palm fruit concentrate into the 800 ml (3 1/3 cups) hot water in a bowl until smooth. Pour it into the pot through a fine sieve if it contains fibers, pressing with a spoon.
- Add the chopped onion, crayfish, smoked fish, whole Scotch bonnet and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the soup is thick and orange oil rises to the surface.
- Taste and add salt if needed, then remove the Scotch bonnet.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot with rice, plantain or cassava.
Tips
- Simmer uncovered at a moderate heat, because a hard boil can make the soup greasy and splash. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of hot water.
- Palm nut cream is sold in cans or jars at African grocery stores. Palm oil alone is not a substitute, since the pulp gives mbanga its body and flavor.
Questions and answers
What is mbanga soup?
A Cameroonian soup made from palm fruit pulp, cooked with meat, smoked fish and crayfish until it turns rich and orange. It is served with rice, plantain, cassava or, traditionally, kwacoco.
What is kwacoco?
Grated cocoyam seasoned with palm oil, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed. It is a traditional partner for mbanga soup in Cameroon's south-west.
Where can I buy palm nut cream?
African and Caribbean grocery stores sell it in cans or jars, sometimes labeled palm nut cream, palm fruit concentrate or sauce graine. Some online shops stock it too.
How long does it take to make Mbanga Soup (Cameroonian Palm Nut Soup with Beef and Smoked Fish)?
About 2 h in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Mbanga Soup (Cameroonian Palm Nut Soup with Beef and Smoked Fish)?
About 390 kcal per serving, with 30 g of protein, 7 g of carbohydrates and 27 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 390 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g |
| Fat | 27 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 960 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
