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Hura da Nono

Also known as Hura da Nono (Millet Ball Drink)

Fura da Nono is one of the most culturally significant and beloved food-drinks of the Fulani cattle-herding people of Northern Nigeria — a refreshing, nutritionally dense combination of spiced millet balls (fura) dissolved into fresh Fulani fermented milk (nono). The millet balls are made from cooked millet flour spiced with ginger, cloves and pepper, then rolled into small spheres and dried.

Hura da Nono, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 big cups of millet flour (finely ground millet)
  • 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • Half a teaspoon of ground cloves
  • Half a teaspoon of ground Cameroon pepper
  • A pinch of salt
  • Water as needed FOR THE NONO:
  • 4 big glasses of fresh Fulani fermented milk (nono) or plain full-fat yoghurt
  • Sugar or honey to taste

Method

  1. 01

    Making the Millet Dough. Place the millet flour in a bowl. Add the ground ginger, cloves, Cameroon pepper and salt. Mix the dry ingredients together. Add hot water gradually while mixing until a very firm, stiff, non-sticky dough forms — the dough should be much stiffer than bread dough.

  2. 02

    Cooking the Millet Dough. Transfer the dough to a pot. Add a glass of water and cook over medium heat, stirring and turning vigorously like Tuwo, for 10 to 12 minutes until the dough is fully cooked through. It will become firmer, drier and slightly darker.

  3. 03

    Shaping into Balls. Allow the cooked millet dough to cool for 5 minutes until handleable but still warm. Break off small pieces roughly the size of a large marble. Roll each piece firmly between your palms into smooth, very firm balls. Place on a tray. Allow to cool and dry completely — the balls should feel hard and firm when tapped.

  4. 04

    Preparing the Nono. Pour the cold Nono (or yoghurt) into a large bowl. Sweeten with sugar or honey to taste. Stir well.

  5. 05

    Combining. Take 3 to 4 Fura balls per person. Place them in a bowl. Pour the cold Nono over them. Using a spoon or your fingers, crush and dissolve the fura balls into the nono, stirring vigorously until the fura completely blends into the milk, thickening it and infusing it with the spiced millet flavour.

  6. 06

    Serving. Serve immediately in bowls or calabash gourds in the traditional Fulani style. The drink should be thick, spiced, slightly sour from the fermented milk and very refreshing.

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