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Fura da nono (millet balls in cultured milk)
Fura da nono: Fulani spiced millet balls crumbled into cool soured milk
Fulani women carry fura da nono to markets across the north in calabashes balanced on their heads: balls of spiced, cooked millet dough sold next to nono, cow's milk that has been left to sour. Crumbled into the milk and sweetened, the fura makes a thick, cooling drink that is part breakfast, part refreshment, tangy with ginger and a gentle heat from the spices. Traditional nono is made from raw milk; this home version uses pasteurised yoghurt and milk for safety, and it should be kept in the fridge. Mashing the fura straight into all the milk leaves lumps, so crumble it with a little milk first. Don't crumble the fura balls coarsely; large lumps stay chalky in the drink. Chef's tip: dust the shaped fura in millet flour and it keeps for 3 days in the fridge, ready to mix.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fura
- 9 oz ground milletfine millet flour; plus 2 tbsp for dusting
- 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ cup waterroughly
For the nono
- 1 ⅛ lb plain yoghurtpasteurised, whole milk
- 1 ¼ cups milkpasteurised, cold
- 3 tbsp sugarto taste
- 8 ice cubes (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz ground millet with 1 ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves and ¼ tsp ground black pepper, keeping back 2 tbsp flour. Add ¾ cup water gradually and knead into a firm dough.
5 minStep 2: Shape the dough into 4 balls. Drop into a pot of boiling water and simmer for 25 minutes, until firm all the way through and darker in colour.
25 minStep 3: Lift them into a bowl and, while hot, pound or knead them with a wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes into one smooth, elastic dough.
3 minStep 4: Divide again into 4 balls and roll them in the reserved flour. Leave to cool.
5 minStep 5: For each serving, crumble one fura into a bowl with 3 tbsp of the 1 ¼ cups milk and mash with a fork until smooth.
2 minStep 6: Whisk in a quarter of the 1 ⅛ lb plain yoghurt and the rest of that portion of milk until thick and pourable. Sweeten with 3 tbsp sugar, add 8 ice cubes and serve cold. Keep any made-up drink in the fridge and use the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fura da nono (millet balls in cultured milk) take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground ginger?
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger per ¼ tsp ground.
- What can I use instead of ground cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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