Cookbook:Miyan Kuka (Baobab Leaf Soup)

Miyan Kuka (Baobab Leaf Soup)
Servings	2–3
Time	Preparation: 15–20 minutes Cooking: 20–30 minutes Total: 40–50 minutes
Difficulty

Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Recipes

Miyan kuka ("baobab leaf soup") is a Northern Nigerian soup prepared with dried ground baobab leaves (kuka). This soup is paired with tuwo shinkafa or tuwo masara.

Ingredients

• 2 large dried catfish
• 1 large dawa dawa lump
• 2 handfuls ground crayfish
• Atarugu (habanero pepper)
• 1 kg cow rib
• 2 large stock cube
• Salt, to taste
• 1 onion, cut in chunks
• 3 tablespoons kuka (baobab leaf) powder
• 2 cooking spoons palm oil

Equipment

• Cooking pot
• Wooden spoon or whisk
• Blender or mortar and pestle
• Knife
• Bowl
• Sieve (optional)

Procedure

1. Soak the dried fish in cold water. Debone when soft.
2. Grind the crayfish with dawadawa. Pound the pepper.
3. Cook the cow ribs with water, stock cube, salt, and onions until the meat is tender. Remove the onions, then the beef, reserving the stock in the pot.
4. Stir the kuka powder into the reserved stock until smooth, with no lumps.
5. Stir in pounded pepper, crayfish and dawa dawa mixture, and palm oil.
6. Add the deboned fish, cover, and cook 5 minutes over medium heat.
7. Stir in beef, and add salt to taste. Cook for 2 minutes.
8. Serve with tuwo shinkafa or tuwo masara.

Notes, tips, and variations

• Add the kuka powder gradually to avoid lumps. Too much kuka powder can make the soup bitter.
• Continuous stirring improves the smooth texture.
• The soup often tastes better after resting for several hours or overnight.
• Palm oil gives the soup a richer aroma and appearance.