How To Prepare Ofe Akwu/Banga Stew

#Lifestyle

Before I start, I know I have been away for some time...I went to bury a loved one. In all you do, please try to ensure that Heaven is your end goal. May the good Lord help us all. Amen

Ofe Akwu is a very delicious delicacy. It may surprise you that this is my first time of preparing it and it sure won't be my last.

I actually prefer cooking it to the normal stew. It has a unique taste. A taste that you
just keep longing for even after you are done eating.

The ingredients you need for this delicacy:

- Palm kernels... It depends on how many people you are cooking for.
- Scent leaves
- Salt
- Fresh pepper
- Smoked/dried fish
- Meat
- Iru/locust beans
- Curry and thyme... Not necessary you add these but I did.

How to prepare it:

- Thoroughly wash your palm kernels. I washed mine thrice.
- Put them into a pot and fill it with water. Ensure the water surpasses the palm kernels. Then leave to boil.
- While your palm kernels are boiling, wash your meat and also put it in your pot that is after seasoning it with maggi and sliced onions and leave to boil.
- Boil water in a kettle. When the water is ready, pour it into the bowl your dried/smoked fish is inside and cover it. This is to soften it a bit. But you have to add a little salt to the fish before pouring your hot water. This is to disinfect the fish from germs.
- When your meat is ready. Put it in a bowl
- Blend your onions, crayfish and fresh pepper.

- By now your palm kernels should be soft. Bring them down and sleeve. After that, pour them into a clean mortar and begin to pound with your pestle.
Pound gentlely  so as not to break the nuts/kernels.
- Little by little, add warm water into the pound kernels. Then turn with your hands, squeeze  and pour the water from the mortar into a sleeve.
Continue to do this till you have gotten the required quantity you need.

My second time of adding water after draining the first one

- Sleeve again to ensure there are no dirt's or chatfs in it and pour it into your pot.
- Add your blended fresh pepper, crayfish and onions into what is on fire and leave to boil.
- When it is boiling...you will see it foaming. Then begin to add your fish, meat, salt, maggi, curry and thyme. 
- Put your Iru in raw fire for few seconds, then remove it and squeeze into the pot like you would with maggi. Stir and leave to boil. 
- When it is almost ready. Add your already washed and sliced scent leaves into it and leave to boil for 1 minute.

And viola your ofe Akwu is ready!!!

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Yours Truly,

Chidinma

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chidinmainspirations.com