Abak Mbakara (seafood palmnut soup)


Abak Mbakara is a palm nut soup native to the Niger-Delta areas of Nigeria. It is not a very different from Banga soup, and taste equally good.

  According to Effi Amah (who helped with this recipe), Abak Mbakara is the sea food version of Banga soup, but most people cook it to suit their needs, palate and budget .
  Here’s how to prepare it.
++See video recipe here++

Ingredients for Abak Mbakara

Abak Mbakara (sea food palmnut soup), nigerian soup recipes, nigerian soups, Nigerian food tv

– 1 can Palm fruit extract or 2kg fresh palm fruits
– 1 Fresh fish(any of choice)
– 1 cup Periwinkles (use boiled small snails as substitute)
– 1 fresh yellow Pepper(aka scent pepper) (chopped)
– 3 handful Water leaves
– 2 tablespoonful ground Crayfish or fresh prawns
– 1 small sized Onions(minced or chopped)
– 2 Stock cube/seasoning cube
– salt to taste

Note: feel free to add dried fish, stock fish, fresh prawns, crabs or any other sea food of choice.
Preparation

1. Wash and chop the water leaves and set aside.

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2. Clean, cut and parboil the fish for 2 minutes with a little water, chopped onions, 1 stock cube and salt to taste; and set aside for later use.

3. If using fresh palm fruits, wash and boil in a pot of water until soft.
Then pour into a mortar and extract  the oily pulp. Add a little hot water to help scoop out the extract; and then transfer into a wide pot.
But, if using the canned ones(like I’m using), pour the palm fruit extract into a wide pot and leave to boil for 5 minutes.
Then add the cooked small snails or fresh periwinkles and continue boiling for another 10 minutes or until the oil begins to rise to the top of the palm fruit extract.
If using extract from fresh palm fruit, leave to boil until it thickens.

Abak Mbakara (sea food palmnut soup), nigerian soup recipes, nigerian soups, Nigerian food tv

 4. Now, add the ground crayfish, chopped pepper and the remaining stock cube.
Mix well and add the parboiled fish and fish stock(liquid from the fish pot); stir gently and leave to simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish is done cooking.

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5. Adjust for salt and add the chopped water leaves. Simmer for 3 minutes and put off the heat.

Abak Mbakara (sea food palmnut soup), nigerian soup recipes, nigerian soups, Nigerian food tv


Stir gently and serve hot with fufu, starch or any swallow of choice.





 

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10 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    January 6, 2015 / 6:00 pm

    Thanks Nky for this recipe. I have everything but the water leaf where i live … so what can i substitute with?By the way thanks for all you do… i have become a pro getting recipes from your website. You are truly a blessing and i pray that you experience wonders without end this new year!Anita

    • Nky Lily Lete
      January 11, 2015 / 11:22 am

      Hi Anita, if you live outside Nigeria, you can make use of of a leaf called ''lambs' lettuce(canonigos)'', it is just like our naija water leaves. But in the abcense of that, feel free to use ''baby spinach'' as an alternative.

  2. Chioma Ogechukwu
    December 8, 2014 / 10:58 am

    Nice one nky.

    • Nky Lily Lete
      December 9, 2014 / 10:38 am

      Thanks hun 🙂

  3. Anonymous
    December 7, 2014 / 3:47 pm

    Thks for all your help, you have been very generous with your explanationations I really appreciate.Pls is there a difference btw palmoil and it's extract?if yes, where can I buy the extract. I live in port Harcourt.

    • Nky Lily Lete
      December 9, 2014 / 10:38 am

      Hi dearie, it's palm fruit extract, you can buy the can at the market or make it yourself by buying fresh palm nuts, wash and boil in a pot of water until the skin is soft and can easily peel off.Then pour into a mortar and extract the oily pulp. Add a little hot water to help scoop out the extract; and then transfer into a wide pot andleave to boil until it thickens.

  4. Anonymous
    December 6, 2014 / 2:14 pm

    I'll be trying it today. thanks for the recipe

    • Nky Lily Lete
      December 9, 2014 / 10:26 am

      You're welcome dearie 🙂

  5. Maureen Bassey
    December 5, 2014 / 12:01 pm

    At long last, my favorite soup after edikang ikang; you're surely doing a great job here Nky. Keep it up.

    • Nky Lily Lete
      December 9, 2014 / 10:26 am

      thanks Maureen 🙂

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