Fura (food) facts for kids
A Fulani woman preparing fura da nono
|
|
| Region or state | West Africa |
|---|---|
| Serving temperature | Cold |
| Main ingredients | Millet |
Fura, also known as Doonu, is a traditional food from West Africa. It comes from the Sahel region. Many people enjoy it, especially the Zarma-Songhai, Fulani, and Hausa communities. You can also find it in Niger and Ghana.
Fura is a soft ball made from millet dough. The word "fura" actually means "millet ball." It is often mashed and mixed with Nono, which is a type of fermented milk. When fura and nono are combined, they create a popular drink called Fura Da Nono. This drink is a good source of energy (carbohydrates) and fiber. Both the fura food and the Fura Da Nono drink are very popular in Northern Nigeria. People often serve them during special events or as a tasty afternoon meal.
-
A seller offering Fura Da Nono
Contents
Making Fura: A Traditional Recipe
Making fura involves several steps. It starts with preparing the main ingredient, which is millet. The process turns simple grains into a delicious and filling food.
What You Need: Ingredients
To make fura, you will need a few simple ingredients:
- Ground millet or Guinea corn
- Ground peppers
- Dried ground chili
- Dried ground ginger
- Ground cloves
- Salt (to taste)
- Sugar (to taste)
How to Prepare Fura
First, the millet grains are washed carefully. Then, their outer peels are removed. After that, the millet is dried and ground into a fine powder.
Next, dried ginger, cloves, and chili pepper are ground together. This spice mix is added to the millet powder. Salt is also added to this mixture.
The mixture is then poured into a mortar. Water is slowly sprinkled in while the mixture is pounded. This helps it come together and form a dough. The dough is then shaped into balls. Sometimes, the dough balls are covered with a leaf and left overnight to ferment. This process gives them a unique flavor.
Finally, the fura balls are cooked in a pot. After cooking, they are pounded again and sprinkled with more water. This makes the dough very soft and smooth. The soft paste is then shaped into its final ball forms. A little millet or corn flour is dusted on them. This stops the fura balls from sticking together.
Fura as a Growing Business
Fura, especially Fura Da Nono, was once mainly a local meal. However, it has now become a growing business in Nigeria. Many people are finding new ways to process and produce it. This has made fura a good investment for entrepreneurs.
For example, Lami Rachel Adamu, a former Nigerian international football player, started a fura business. She began with less than $500. Her business has now grown into a multi-million naira company. Another Nigerian, a 50-year-old man, shared how he earns up to 150,000 naira from selling Fura Da Nono. This shows how a traditional food can become a successful modern enterprise.
