Kunun Gyada (Spiced Peanut Rice Porridge) Recipe
Kunun Gyada is a traditional Nigerian spiced peanut rice porridge that combines the creamy richness of homemade peanut milk with fragrant spices and smooth rice puree. This comforting and flavorful porridge is gently simmered to develop a thick, luscious texture and is typically served warm with a touch of tamarind paste and natural sweeteners for a hint of tang and sweetness.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Porridge
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Nigerian, West African
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Peanut Milk
- 2 cups shelled and skinned raw peanuts
- 4 cups water (divided for blending)
Rice Puree
- 1/2 cup short-grain white rice, such as sushi rice
- 2 cups water for blending rice
Spices
- 4 selim seed pods
- 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
- Granulated sugar, honey or chopped dates
Instructions
- Soak Peanuts and Rice: Place the raw peanuts and rice each in separate bowls and cover with water by 2 inches. Soak at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours to soften.
- Make Peanut Milk: Drain the peanuts and transfer to a blender. Add 2 cups of room-temperature water and blend on high speed until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or muslin-lined sieve into a medium pot. Return the solids to the blender, add another 2 cups of water, and blend again. Strain once more, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. You should have about 4 cups of smooth peanut milk in the pot.
- Prepare Rice Puree: Drain the soaked rice and transfer to the blender. Add 2 cups of room-temperature water and blend on high until the rice is ground smooth.
- Simmer Peanut Milk with Spices: To the pot of peanut milk, add selim seed pods, ground ginger, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, and cloves. Heat over medium heat while whisking frequently until steam just begins to rise, approximately 6 minutes. If using whole spices, turn off heat, cover, and steep for up to 10 minutes before removing spices. If using ground spices, proceed immediately to the next step.
- Add Rice Puree and Thicken: Turn the heat to medium-low and whisk in the ground rice puree. Cook while stirring frequently until the mixture thickens enough to leave a faint line when the whisk is dragged across the surface and bubbles form slowly on top, about 8 minutes. Cover and simmer without stirring for an additional 4 minutes to fully cook any coarse rice grains until tender.
- Serve: Ladle the porridge into warm or room-temperature bowls. Add a spoonful of tamarind paste for a tangy contrast and sweeten to taste with granulated sugar, honey, or chopped dates.
Notes
- Selim seed pods impart a unique smoky aroma; if unavailable, substitute with a small amount of smoked paprika or omit.
- Straining the peanut milk through muslin helps achieve a smooth texture, but cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve can work as well.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to taste depending on your preference for spiciness.
- The porridge thickens as it simmers; keep stirring to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.
- This dish is traditionally served warm but can also be enjoyed at room temperature.
Keywords: Kunun Gyada, Nigerian porridge, peanut rice porridge, spiced porridge, traditional Nigerian recipe, savory peanut porridge
