This week on our Afro Cuisine recipe is Fura Da Nono. It is another #TastyThursday and we want you to savor a taste of Africa. You can search for the ingredients in African stores around you; or better still take a trip to Africa and give your tastebuds a treat.
Fura Da Nono which literally means Millet and milk, is a popular gruel amongst the fulani people of Africa. It is made with fresh cow milk and millet. It is very common to see beautifully adorned Fulani ladies under shades of trees with big calabashes which hold their milk and fura balls.
Portions are mixed in smaller calabashes with calabash spoons and the consumer has the choice of adding sugar or not. The fura balls are made from millet flour which has been spiced with ginger, cloves and sometimes, pepper. It is a very healthy and satisfying dish. It is also one dish you can personalize by your choice of diary, and a wonderful dessert for relaxation.
INGREDIENTS:
Fura Balls:
(1) 400 Grams Millet Flour
(2) 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Ginger Powder
(3) 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
(4) 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Pepper
(5) Pinch of Salt
(6) 1-1/4 Cups Water
Components:
(1) Your choice of raw milk, skimmed milk, yogurt, Greek yogurt or heavy creamed milk or fresh cow milk
(2) Sugar (Optional)
Traditionally, whole grain millet is locally processed to flour using a mortar. The grains are pounded with a little bit of water to loosen the chaff. After blowing away the chaff, the hulled millet is then pounded and sifted to get millet flour. You can avoid all these steps and go ahead to purchase already processed millet flour.
(2) If you want your fura balls to be more spicy, you can increase the quantity of the various spices in this recipe.
Directions for Fura Da Nono
Fura Balls:
In a large bowl, mix the millet flour with all the spices.
Add the water to the flour mixture a little at a time until a thick paste is formed. You might not need all the water and you might need a little bit more.
Shape the millet paste into small balls, the size of golf balls.
Place the millet balls in a pot, add some water and boil them for about 30 minutes. You want the balls to be cooked all the way through. After 30 minutes, break a ball to see if it is properly cooked or if the inside still looks lighter in color and raw. If it is still raw, keep cooking the balls until it is done. The cooking duration will ultimately depend on the size of your balls.
After the millet balls have cooked, place them in a mortar and pound them into a paste. This is to make the balls even in texture and easy to break later on. You can use a mixer if you don’t have a mortar.
Shape the cooked millet paste into balls again. Roll the balls in some millet flour to coat them and keep them from sticking to each other.
Nono (Cow Milk)
In a bowl pour in fresh cow milk or available dairy, then pick some fura balls and crush it into the milk using your fingers; use a ladle to even out the mixture or you can blend both millet and milk ( Fura and Nono) into a gruel.
Add some ice cubes and sugar( to taste) and enjoy.
Recipe and instructional images from @gratednutmeg