Description
Kunun Gyada is a traditional Nigerian spiced peanut rice porridge that combines creamy peanut milk with aromatic spices and ground rice, resulting in a comforting and flavorful dish. This rich and smooth porridge is enhanced with warming spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and finished with a tangy tamarind paste and natural sweeteners, making it a perfect breakfast or snack option.
Ingredients
Scale
Peanut Milk Base
- 2 cups shelled and skinned raw peanuts
- 4 cups room-temperature water (divided for blending)
- 1/2 cup short-grain white rice (such as sushi rice)
- 2 cups room-temperature water for rice blending
Spices
- 4 selim seed pods (see Tips)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne or 1 whole dried cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
To Serve
- Tamarind paste (see Tips)
- Granulated sugar, honey, or chopped dates
Instructions
- Soak Peanuts and Rice: Place the raw peanuts and rice in separate bowls and cover each with water by 2 inches. Soak at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours to soften them in preparation for blending.
- Make Peanut Milk: Drain the peanuts and transfer them to a blender. Add 2 cups of room-temperature water and blend on high speed until smooth. Strain the blended peanuts through a fine-mesh strainer or a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a medium pot to extract the liquid. Return the leftover peanut solids to the blender, add another 2 cups of room-temperature water, and blend again until smooth. Strain again pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. You should have about 4 cups of peanut milk in the pot.
- Prepare Rice Purée: Drain the soaked rice (do not wash) and transfer to the blender. Add 2 cups of room-temperature water and purée on high speed until smooth.
- Add Spices and Heat: To the pot with peanut milk, add the selim seed pods, ground ginger, kosher salt, cinnamon (ground or stick), grated nutmeg, cayenne (ground or whole), and cloves (ground or whole). Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking frequently, until steam begins to rise, about 6 minutes. If using whole spices, turn off the heat, cover, and steep for up to 10 minutes before removing the spices with a slotted spoon. If using ground spices, proceed to the next step immediately.
- Cook the Porridge: Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in the rice purée. Stir frequently and cook until the mixture thickens enough to leave a faint line when whisked and bubbles rise slowly to the surface, about 8 minutes. Cover and simmer without stirring for around 4 minutes to ensure the rice is fully cooked and tender.
- Serve: Serve the porridge warm or at room temperature in bowls. Top each serving with a spoonful of tamarind paste for a tangy contrast, and sweeten to taste with granulated sugar, honey, or chopped dates for added natural sweetness.
Notes
- Selim seed pods provide a unique aromatic flavor; if unavailable, you may omit or substitute with a blend of black cardamom and allspice.
- Tamarind paste adds a tangy finish balancing the richness of the peanuts; adjust the quantity to taste or omit if preferred.
- The soaking time for peanuts and rice can be extended up to 4 hours to improve blending and texture.
- Use ground spices for quicker preparation or whole spices for a more aromatic infusion.
- This recipe can be adapted to be gluten-free and vegetarian.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Nigerian
Keywords: Kunun Gyada, Nigerian peanut porridge, spiced peanut rice, traditional Nigerian breakfast, peanut milk porridge, selim spice, tamarind porridge
