The Hausa people are the largest ethnic groups with more than 55 million of them living in Nigeria alone.
They can be found in many other African countries such as Cameroon, Benin, Sudan, Ghana, Togo, Chad, Congo, and Niger. The Hausa people mostly reside in the Northern part of Nigeria. They are mostly farmers and traders, however, there is a significant number of them involved in crafting.
They are known for their distinct dressing that differs from other cultures in Nigeria. The Hausa people are also responsible for some of the delicacies consumed in Nigeria.
Popular Hausa Foods in Nigeria
Most hausa foods are easy to prepare and do not take much time. They are also highly nutritious. In this article, we are going to provide you with a List of Hausa foods, their ingredients and health benefits.
Fura Da Nono
Fura Da Nono is a Hausa food that is similar to yoghurt. It is actually locally fermented milk with a thick consistency. It is usually made by molding fura into a ball and mashing the fura into milk.
This is the traditional way of making this drink, however, there are other easier ways you can use to make Fura Da Nono and still end up with a delicious tasting drink.
The ingredients used in making Fura Da Nono include
- Millet
- Alligator pepper
- Ginger
- Nono (Kafir milk)
- Sugar
The preparation process is really simple and should take about 20 minutes.
- The millet is washed and blended until it is very smooth (soaking the millet in hot water for some time makes it easier to blend).
- The millet is then boiled in a pot and stirred till the dough is formed.
- When the dough is formed, you’ll need to add water and reduce the heat. Allow it to boil for some minutes before taking it off the fire and into a bowl.
- At this point, the nono (kafir milk) can be added. The millet dough is mashed and sugar is added to boost the taste.
Fura Da Nono contains a lot of nutrients that offer many health benefits to the body. It is high in proteins which aid in the building and repair of body tissues. It is also high in nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and niacin.
It aids in the building of healthy strong bones, reduces the risk of heart attack and lowers bad cholesterol levels in every cell of the body.
Taking Fura Da Nono daily can make these benefits more pronounced.
Miyan Kuka
Miyan Kuku is quite similar to Ogbono soup in the sense that they both have the same stretchy nature, however, the ingredients and cooking process used in making both soups are completely different.
The main ingredients used in making this soup is the Kuka leaves (dry baobab leaves). The leaves are dried and grounded into a powdered form.
The ingredients used in making this soup include
- Kuka powder (dry baobab leaves powder)
- Cows ribs
- Dry cat fish
- Red palm oil
- Crayfish (grinded)
- Dawa dawa (ogiri okpei, iru, locust beans)
- Habanero pepper (atarugu, ose oyibo, atarodo)
- Onion
- Potash Pinch
- Yagi
- Maggi cube
- Salt
The amount of each ingredient you use to cook the food will depend on the amount of soup you want to make. This soup can be taken with any swallow. The soup offers many health benefits as it is packed with a lot of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Kunum Gyada
Kunum Gyada is a popular drink consumed in Northern parts of Nigeria. It is usually prepared with rice and raw groundnut. The drink is taken alone when prepared thin. If prepared thick it can be eaten like porridge.
The ingredients used in making Kunum Gyada
- Raw groundnut
- Rice
- Yoghurt
- Lime juice
- Water
- Sugar
The ingredients used in making these drinks are packed with nutrients that offer many benefits to the body.
Groundnuts (one of the ingredients) are a great source of nutrients such as biotin, niacin, copper, manganese, folate, vitamin E, phosphorus, thiamine, and magnesium. Rice is also a great source of these nutrients. It is also a great source of calcium.
These nutrients are important for many biological processes that ensure the normal functioning of the body.
Dan Wake
Dan Wake is made from bean flour, pepper, Kuka, and potash. It is mostly consumed in the Northern part of Nigeria where it is made. The ingredients used in making Dan Wake include
- Kuka
- Potash
- Grounded beans powder
- Dry pepper
- Groundnut oil
- Tomatoes
- Egg
- Cucumber
- Carrots
- Cabbages
The vegetables listed above are optional. With or without them, you’ll end up with a great tasting Dan Wake. However, using vegetables in making your Dan Wake will provide you with more nutrients and health benefits than if you make yours without them.
Suya
Suya is one of the popular Hausa foods and one of the few Hausa foods consumed in almost every part of Nigeria. Making suya is very easy and shouldn’t take much time, however, getting the taste right is a different story.
Suya can be made from any meat of choice. The main ingredient that makes suya unique is the suya spices. If you want to make suya, then you’ll need the ingredients listed below.
- Beef
- Suya Spice
- Knorr
- Salt to Taste
- Ground dried pepper
- Vegetable oil (100ml)
- Griller
Suya is a source of many beneficial nutrients which aid in many body functions. It is a source of protein, iron, vitamin B-12, and lipid.
Masa (Hausa rice cake)
Masa is made from tuwo rice. It is a special delicacy that is made mostly in the Northern parts of Nigeria, however, with the right ingredients you can make one right in your kitchen.
The following ingredients are what you need to make Masa
- Tuwo rice
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Potash
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
Tuwo rice is quite different from your everyday white rice. It can be gotten from the Northern parts of the country. If you don’t live in the Northern states, you can purchase the rice from rice depots and shops.
