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Kunu Zaki

Also known as Kunu Zaki (Northern Millet Drink)

Kunu Zaki is the supreme traditional drink of Northern Nigeria — a lightly fermented, spiced millet drink that is simultaneously refreshing, nourishing and deeply complex in flavour. Made from pearl millet that is soaked overnight, ground, combined with sweet potato and aromatics and cooked into a smooth drink, Kunu Zaki provides B-vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc from the millet alongside the documented anti-inflammatory benefits of its ginger and clove spicing.

Kunu Zaki, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of pearl millet (dawa), washed and soaked overnight
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped — for sweetness and thickening
  • A very big piece of fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon of whole cloves
  • Half a teaspoon of black or Cameroon pepper — optional
  • Sugar or honey to taste
  • 6 glasses of water for blending and cooking

Method

  1. 01

    Soaking and Fermentation. Wash the millet thoroughly. Soak in 3 glasses of water for a minimum of 8 hours (overnight is ideal). This soaking begins a gentle natural fermentation that is the hallmark of authentic Kunu Zaki.

  2. 02

    Blending. Drain the soaked millet. Combine in a blender with the roughly chopped sweet potato, peeled ginger, whole cloves and pepper if using. Add 3 glasses of fresh water. Blend at high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until as smooth as possible.

  3. 03

    Straining. Strain the blended mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cloth, squeezing firmly to extract all the liquid. The strained liquid will be thick, milky and fragrant.

  4. 04

    Cooking. Pour the strained liquid into a pot over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly to prevent sticking and lumps. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until the Kunu is fully cooked through, slightly thickened and no longer tastes of raw grain.

  5. 05

    Sweetening and Chilling. Add sugar or honey to taste. Stir well. Remove from heat. Allow to cool completely. Transfer to bottles or sealed containers. Refrigerate until very cold before serving.

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