This rice is a burst of flavours and spice. I swear by jove you should try it. This is one of my favourite things to cook in an and serve in an earthen pot. Also one of my favourite ways to eat rice.

Banga Rice is native to the people of south-south of Nigeria and in making mine I’ve borrowed a few influences from making Atama soup and banga soup.

Recipe

I used standard measuring cups, with 1cup being 250ml

• 4 Cups Rice
• 4 Cups Water
• 1.5 Cups Banga Cream (this was roughly 3 cooking spoons)
• 2 tbsp crayfish
• 1 tsp banga Spices. (I use the blend called “Success Banga Spice“, it’s readily available in Lagos market)
• Obunrunbebe stick
• *Uyayak (Aidan Fruit optional but I love it the flavour and i always use it)
• 4 tbsp blended pepper mix. (5 yellow 4 red scotch bonnet please reduce this if can handle heat)
• A handful of flaked Stock fish (Soak in salted hot water to soften and get rid of unwanted elements)
• 2 small sized smoked fish. (flake it and soak with stock fish )
• 1kg Fresh Tiger Prawns, you can use 2 cups of smoked prawns instead but it is totally optional.
• 1 tbsp Uziza leaves thinly slices (optional)
• 4 Bouillon cubes (seasoning cubes)
• Salt to taste.

Procedure

– Wash rice properly to get rid of starch and set aside in a seive

– In a large pot, put the Banga cream, water, banga spice, obunrunbebe stick, uyayak, crayfish, salt, seasoning cubes together and bring to boil.

– When it starts to boil, add washed rice, smoked and stock fish.

– Cook rice on medium heat till rice is tender.

– Add your prawns and let the steam cook it

If the rice seems like it is still tough, don’t add water, reduce the heat, and cover with Moinmoin leaves or foil wrap, if you don’t have either you can cover with a plastic bag. This is to trap the steam in the pot that will finish cooking the rice.

– Sprinkle Uziza leaves if you are using it.

Use a wooden spatula to stir rice together.

Enjoy

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