Kunnu (Nigerian Grain Beverage)
Kunnu is a chilled, lightly tangy grain drink from northern Nigeria, made from fermented millet. The two-day soak does the real work, turning plain grain into something sour and complex, while fresh ginger and cloves add warmth and bite. Sweet potato is an optional addition that gives the drink a little natural sweetness and body. Corn or sorghum can stand in for the millet, so it is easy to adapt to what you have.
Instructions
Soak the millet in water for 2 days, changing the water every 7 hours. This lets the grain ferment and gives the drink its slight tang.
Rinse the soaked millet with clean water and put it in a blender. Add the ginger, cloves, sweet potato if using, and a small amount of water, then blend until smooth.
Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl and stir in cold water to thin it. The mixture should be loose enough to pass through a sieve.
Pour the slurry into a sieving bag and strain out the chaff, working in batches if your sieve is small. Discard the chaff and keep the liquid.
Leave the strained liquid to settle for about 7 hours, until a thick sediment has sunk to the bottom of the bowl.
Tilt the bowl and gently pour off the clear liquid on top, leaving the thick sediment behind.
Pour hot water over the sediment, the same way you would prepare pap. Add more water for a thinner kunnu or less for a thicker one.
Stir in sugar if you want it sweeter. Chill the kunnu and serve it over ice with a snack of your choice.
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