Nigerian Hausa Masa_9jafoodieNigerian Masa

Masa is a northern staple similar to a pan fried rice cake, the recipes vary a little across households but the basic premise never changes. Traditionally Masa is made into an oval shape.  You can experiment with some onions and ginger in your masa

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups raw rice
  • 1.5 tablespoons cooked rice
  • 1.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 cups water at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground akaun (cooking potash) (Optional)
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Direction:

1. Soak the raw rice in 5 cups of water overnight
2.  Dissolve the sugar and akaun in the  1.5 cups of water and add the yeast. Set aside in a warm area* for 10-15 minutes, until very frothy.
3. Drain the rice completely.  Blend rice with the yeast and akaun mixture to make a smooth batter. Add the cooked rice, and blend to combine well. The batter should be very thick
4.  Pour batter into a large bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 8-12 hours. You want the mixture to rise, collapse and ferment.
5. 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
6. Heat your pan over medium heat. Wipe a few drops of oil over it , Stir the batter and pour in 3-4 tablespoons, depending on the size of the pan.
7. Flip after 2.5mins and cook the other side for another 2 mins. keep making until you use up all the batter.
* To warm up my mixture, I turned the oven on for 3 minutes, allowed it to cool off a bit and left the mix in.