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Miyan kuka (baobab leaf soup)
Miyan kuka: the dark, slippery Hausa soup of powdered baobab leaves and dawadawa
Dried baobab leaves, pounded to a fine green-grey powder, give miyan kuka its earthy, faintly tea-like taste and its slippery body, a little like okra. Northern households from Kano to Sokoto cook it as everyday food and pair it almost always with tuwon shinkafa or tuwon masara. Dried fish or a handful of meat often goes into the pot; this meat-free version, as many homes cook it when the budget is tight, gets its depth from dawadawa, onion and a peppery tomato base instead. A common mistake is tipping the kuka in all at once, which leaves stubborn green lumps; sift it in slowly while whisking. Chef's tip: once the kuka is in, simmer only 2–3 minutes, because long boiling dulls its colour and its fresh, grassy edge.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the base
- 1 onionroughly chopped
- 2 tomatoesroughly chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet chilliuse half for a milder soup
- 4 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 ½ tbsp dawadawa (fermented locust beans)sub: 1 tsp white miso or fermented black beans, mashed
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp saltto taste
For the soup
- 1 ⅜ oz baobab leaf powder (kuka)from African grocers; sift if lumpy
- ½ tsp yaji or cayenne pepper (optional)to serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Blend 1 onion, 2 tomatoes and 1 scotch bonnet chilli with 100 ml water until smooth.
2 minStep 2: Heat 4 tbsp groundnut oil in a pot over a medium heat. Add the blended base and fry, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until it darkens slightly and the oil starts to shine on the surface.
10 minStep 3: Pour in 5 cups vegetable stock, add 1 ½ tbsp dawadawa (fermented locust beans), ½ tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp salt, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8 minutes so the dawadawa softens and flavours the broth.
8 minStep 4: Lower the heat. Hold a fine sieve over the pot and tap 1 ⅜ oz baobab leaf powder (kuka) into it a spoonful at a time while whisking hard with your other hand, until all the powder is in and the soup turns dark green, smooth and slightly stretchy.
2 minStep 5: Simmer for 2–3 minutes only, stirring, then taste for salt. Serve hot with tuwo and a sprinkle of ½ tsp yaji or cayenne pepper.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does miyan kuka (baobab leaf soup) take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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