Three Delicious Delicacies, North of the Niger

Step 1: Getting your ingredients right

First up are the peanuts (casa).
Raw groundnuts, known as casa in Hausa language, are a major ingredient used in the preparation of Kunun Gyada. Only the groundnut milk is used to prepare the gruel. The milk is extracted using a sieve after soaking, peeling and grinding the groundnuts.

Here comes the rice: shinkafa

The rice used in preparing Kunun Gyada is a local short grain rice known as shinkafa. The rice is also used in preparing the staple Hausa fufu called "tuwo shinkafa".

Adding raw grains and sugar

Uncooked short grain rice, raw groundnuts and sugar are the only necessary preparation ingredients for Kunun Gyada.

Step 2: Soak for 30 minutes

Shinkafa and casa are soaked in warm water for about 30 minutes. This way, the groundnuts are easier to peel and the rice, easier and faster to blend and cook.

Step 3: Mixing it all together

A bowl of rice is divided in two halves; the first half is boiled, while the other half is ground. One can choose not to grind the local rice, only soaking it and cooking it directly with the groundnut milk and sugar.

Step 4: Boiling the mix and serving

After 30 minutes of boiling the rice, the ground rice is added with the milk from the raw groundnuts. In 5 minutes, the mixture is ready and sugar is added.

Kunun Gyada can be taken alone as light porridge or as an accompaniment with kosai (beans cake), masa (rice cake) or fried meat.

Step 1: Getting your ingredients right

I. Bushe Shen Kifi

Smoked-dried catfish, known as Bushe Shen Kifi, is a major protein ingredient for Miyan Karkashi, alongside meat.

The locals dry fish on fire in order to preserve it and increase its lifespan.

II. Kayan Yaji

Dried cayenne pepper is known as Kayan Yaji in Hausa. For Miyan Karkashi, the peppers are ground into powdered form.

Step 1: Getting your ingredients right

Corn grains (masara)

Corn grains are portioned and sold in small bowls or recycled tin containers at the local farmers' market.

Step 2: From grain to flour

The corn grains are ground in a mill. First, the machine grinds it into flour. Then, for a smoother texture, it is sieved to take out seed coats.

Step 3: Kneading

The corn flour is cooked in boiling water and kneaded in the same pot into a stiff dough. The resulting meal is Tuwo Masara, which is portioned into small cellophane bags for serving.

What will it be?

Tuwo Masara can be eaten with Miyan Karkashi. But there's a wide range of soups that can also be eaten with it, including Miyan Shuaka, Miyan Zogale, Miyan Ridi, Miyan Wake, Miyan Tapasa and Miyan Taushe.

Finger-licking delight

Tuwo Masara is traditionally eaten with the fingers. One can, however, use a fork or spoon if desired.