Nigeria – Tuwo Shinkafa

by Mimi Joseph

Nigerian cuisine Tuwo shinkafa is originated from Hausa tribe, people leaving on the northern part of the country. Unlike tuwo masara that is prepared from maize, Tuwo shinkafa is prepared mainly from highly smashed rice and sometimes from corn.

Nigeria is located on the western part of African continent sharing a border with Niger in the northern, Cameroon in the east, Benin to the west, to the south it borders the Gulf of Guinea and part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Tuwo shinkafa is cooked with more water from normal rice cooking style and then using long-handled wooden spoon to flatten rice and knead it.

Following is using special spoon to make balls from the smashed texture. You may use any other clean tool to make these balls of rice and serve with a taste soup. In Nigeria most of the soups prepared are Miyan kuka, Miyan kubewa and Miyan taushe that are generally prepared with vegetables.

Welcome to the preparation of Tuwo shinkafa cuisine.

Prepare the followings

• 1/2 kg of rice (glutinous rice or sticky rice)
• Oil
• Salt
• Water

Cooking procedures

• Clean and wash rice to keep it safe and clean at a moment.
• Boil up water of about 1.5 liters.
• Add salt and oil, let it boil for 2 minutes with water.
• Add in rice, leave it to boil for 10 minutes until ready and water dries.
• Taste to see that rice is really sticky and well cooked.
• Using long-handed wooden spoon, knead the rice until tender.
• Leave it on heat for 3 minutes more.
• Using another spoon, take some bunches and form round shaped balls and put into a plate.
• Do the same until all rice is in balls.

Serve Tuwo shinkafa warm for a better taste. Preparation may vary according to the number of people to be served. Most of men in the place refer corn Tuwo shinkafa, so if it happens that there is a number of men, both Tuwo shinkafa types will be prepared.