One of Nigeria’s top Northern foods is Masa. It is a shaped rice cake and it is common in the Northern territories of Kaduna, Borno, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Jigawa and so on. Rice is the main ingredient for this snack and it is widely cultivated in Northern Nigeria. The Hausa and Fulani people are predominantly farmers, so their agricultural products are prepared in style as food. Apart from Tuwo Shinkafa, which is a major food by the people, masa is another tasty meal that is made from the same grain (rice). It may take a long time to get the ingredients for masa running but it takes less than twenty minutes to prepare. Rice is a form of starch, the energy-giving food (carbohydrate) is needed by the people for their daily activities.
INGREDIENTS
These include raw rice, cooked rice, active dry yeast, sugar, water, potash and salt.
BEFORE PREPARATION
This is the major task in preparing this snack. Soak the raw rice in water overnight (enough water to cover the size of rice used). Dissolve the sugar and potash in cups of water and add the yeast. Set aside in a warm area for 10 – 15 minutes until it is very frothy. Drain the rice completely. Blend rice with yeast and potash mixture to make a smooth batter. Add the cooked rice and blend to combine well. Make sure the batter is very thick. Pour the batter into a large bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 8 – 12 hours. This will make the mixture to rise, collapse and ferment. No matter how smooth the batter is, there will still be rice in it.
COOKING PROCEDURE
Add salt and a little bit more sugar if needed. Add a bit of water if necessary so that you have a batter that is just as thick as pap. Heat your pan over medium heat. Wipe a few drops of oil over it. Stir the batter and pour in 3 – 4 tablespoons of oil, depending on the size of your pan. Flip after a couple of minutes so that it doesn’t get burnt. Cook the other side for another 2 minutes. Repeat the procedure until you use up all the batter.
Masa can be served as a snack or as a breakfast cake. Enjoy this meal and thank me later guys.
Bon appetite!
