Fura Da Nunu is a refreshing, locally made drink from fermented milk and ground millet grains with northern Nigeria origins. It is produced and consumed mostly by the Fulani. Fura Da Nunu translates to Millet and Milk.
My mom’s distant cousin, Auntie Lola, was married into a Hausa family. Everyone loved it, especially me. It was so refreshing that I always went back to ask for seconds. Auntie Lola would make a big bowl of Fura Da Nunu every Christmas and bring it to our house. All the children would get really excited and jump on her body, because we knew our ‘Fura Da Nunu’ had arrived. This was because we always had a lot of people coming to our home for the duration of the celebration, a lot of food and endless laughs; after all, Christmas is a time to share happiness.
Recently, I paid my auntie Lola a visit, and she made me this delicious Nunu drink. And absolutely nothing had changed about its taste or how it made me feel.
To be honest, my recipe for this drink might seem a little unconventional because I learnt how to make it from my aunt and not some cookbook or manual. And I have been using her method for a long time now, and it has gotten amazing reviews from people who have tasted ‘my Fura Da Nunu’. Enjoy the ride as I tell you all my secrets to making this Nunu drink taste really amazing.
It is translated into English as Millet and Milk. Nunu is locally fermented cow milk which resembles yoghourt in thickness but isn’t quite as thick, while Fura is the millet.
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What is Fura?
Fura or doonu is a type of food originating from West Africa's Sahel region and that is popular among the Zarma-Songhai, Fulani and Hausa peoples of the Sahel.
It is a millet dough ball, with "fura" meaning millet ball. The millet is ground into a powdered form, rolled and molded into balls. It is also eaten in Niger and Ghana.
Traditionally, the vendors mold the fura into a ball and it’s mashed into the milk just before serving. This is a nifty trick as it gives the vendors an opportunity to sell two distinct product. When you make this at home, there is no need to first make the millet into a ball, simply process and combine.
Fura Da Nunu (Kafir Milk)
The combination of fura and nono is known as Fura Da Nono, a locally made drink that contains carbohydrate and fiber. The fura food and the fura da nono drink are popular in Northern Nigeria.
I made use of Kafir milk in this recipe, it’s the closest thing to locally processed nono if you live outside Nigeria.
Read also: Nigerian Fura Da Nono
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 380 kcal
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cup Millet
- 1.5 tbsp Alligator Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Gingers
- 4 cups Nunu (Kafir Milk)
- 3 tbsp Sugar to taste
Instructions:
- Properly wash the millet.
- Soak the millet for 5mins in hot water to make it soft and easy to blend.
- Drain the water.
- Put the millet into a blender. Add the alligator pepper, ginger and a cup of water.
- Blend until it is smooth.
- Pour the mix into a pot and cook on medium heat until it thickens and forms a dough.
- Scoop the millet dough into a bowl and set aside.
- Add the Nunu (Kafir Milk) to the millet dough and mix properly.
- Add sugar to taste.
- Your Fura Da Nunu (Kafir Milk) is ready.
NORTHERN NIGERIA’S MOST NUTRITIOUS DRINK - FURA DA NUNU! FULL RECIPE | DIARYOFAKITCHENLOVER
Health Benefits of Fura Da Nunu Drink
Nunu (fermented cow milk) contains high amounts of proteins and bone-building calcium. It is also an excellent source of probiotics which helps to eradicate harmful microorganisms that may cause intestinal infections.
Also, millet helps in fat metabolism and repair of body tissues and provides energy for the body. The Vitamin B3 contained in the Millet helps to lower cholesterol levels.
Fura da Nono is a very healthy and satisfying food.
Nono (or Nunu)
Nono (or Nunu) is a local yogurt with thick lumps produced from the fermentation of cow milk. The art of nono production is one of the many unique traditions the Fulanis have preserved for centuries.
Read also: Ingredients in Nigerian Drinks
Sold by Fulani women, Nunu “Pronounced No-no” is the Hausa word for fresh cow milk & it’s usually collected early in the morning in calabash bowls before being pasteurized locally. This is done by boiling to a certain level to kill whatever contaminants it might contain. it’s then left to cool and once this happens, the curd separates from the whey.
The curd is skimmed off and used in the preparation of local cheese or butter while the milk is left to ferment with its own natural bacteria for some few hours thereby converting it to yogurt.
Fura de nunu as we fondly (incorrectly if I might add) called it was one of the drinks I looked forward to having when I was younger, we would wait around for the vendors to come by with their calabash.
