Miyan Kuka (Delicious Baobab Leaf Soup)
Miyan Kuka is a popular Hausa soup that is made from kuka (Baobab leaves). This is definitely one of those soups you are going to love once you try it.
Kuka is a dark-green powdered ingredient made from Boabab leaves, it is just a ground (powdered form) of Boabab dried leaves. You’d probably know this if you are from Northern Nigeria.
This simple recipe shows you how to make miyan kuku and all the ingredients required. A combination of kuka soup and tuwo shinkafa is a popular sight in Northern Nigeria.
This soup turn out dark even though we use palm oil, I promise you will still enjoy it.
Ingredients For Miyan Kuka Soup.
500g Chicken
100g dried fish
1 teaspoon locust beans (iru)
handful crayfish
1 cup kuka (ground-dried baobab leaves)
2 Scotch bonnet peppers
1 stock cube
1 small onions
Salt to taste.
Recipe Time: 45 minutes.
Serving: 3 Persons
The picture below shows some of the popular ingredients used for miyan kuka, I used chicken in this recipe but you can use beef or even goat alternatively.
You can use iru or dawadawa, they are both locally made and available in major markets around Nigeria.
I live in Portharcourt, finding kuka was a bit cumbersome but with some help, you will always find it in your city. Since this soup is popular among northerners, just ask your Hausa friends or visit the areas in your city that are dominated by Northerners.
Miyan kuka is a very popular soup from Northern Nigeria. We use ground-dried baobab leaves as the main ingredient for this soup.
It looks and feels just like the regular Ogbono soup but a little darker and thicker.
One characteristic of the baobab leaf is its elastic ability, it draws just like ogbono.
Kuka Soup Recipe.
Step 1
Wash and season the meat with onions, 1 stock cube, and a teaspoon of salt. Add half cup of water and set on heat.
Step 2
Once the meat is soft, (10 minutes for chicken), add the washed dried fish and let them cook for another 10-15 minutes.
Step 3
Remove the meat and fish from the pot leaving just the stock as you can see below. Add 1 cup of water.
Stir-In Kuka
Step 4
Allow it to cool for 2 minutes. Add and stir the kuka (powdered baobab leaves).
Continue stirring while you add more until the soup begins to thicken.
You will need about 1 cup of kuka for this soup.
Step 5
Stir to combine completely, if this is difficult, you can transfer to your blender and pulse a couple of times. You want it smooth and dissolved like this.
Step 6
Add ground crayfish and the ground scotch bonnet peppers. Add the iru (locust beans).
Step 7
Stir the soup properly and allow to simmer on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. That is how to make this wonderful soup from Northern Nigeria.
While this soup is very popular in Northern Nigeria and Ghana, I am sure other country will be adding it to their menu as soon as they try it.
Serve kuka soup with tuwo shinkafa, you can also pair with eba.
Miyan Kuka
Equipment
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
- 500 g Chicken
- 100 g dried fish
- 1 teaspoon locust beans iru
- handful crayfish
- 1 cup kuka ground-dried baobab leaves
- 2 Scotch bonnet peppers
- 1 stock cube
- 1 small onions
- Salt to taste.
Instructions
- Wash and season the meat with onions, 1 stock cube, and a teaspoon of salt. Add half cup of water and set on heat.
- Once the meat is soft, (10 minutes for chicken), add the washed dried fish and let them cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the meat and fish from the pot leaving just the stock as you can see below. Add 1 cup of water.
- Allow it to cool for 2 minutes. Add and stir the kuka (powdered baobab leaves).
- Continue stirring while you add more until the soup begins to thicken.
- You will need about 1 cup of kuka for this soup.
- Stir to combine completely, if this is difficult, you can transfer to your blender and pulse a couple of times. You want it smooth and dissolved like this.
- Add ground crayfish and the ground scotch bonnet peppers. Add the iru (locust beans).
- Stir the soup properly and allow to simmer on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. That is how to make this wonderful soup from Northern Nigeria.
I love trying new recipe and so far I have not regretted it. Miyan kuka seem like the next option for me. I am not from Northern Nigeria but this seem like something I can totally do.
Can I add more palm oil to make the soup as red as possible?
I will also like to use assorted meat for this soup.
Miyan kuka is a green soup, just like ewedu or Ishan black soup. You cannot add more oil than is required. You would end up with something else entirely. Lol