Kunan Aya (Tigernut Milk)

I practically lived on this tigernut milk during my visit to Lagos in February 2020. I spent most of my days in traffic, crawling from vendor to market to restaurant, and, finally, to an auntie’s house (or two). I packed a cooler in the backseat of the car with a bottle of kunun aya, ready for whenever I felt a rush of hunger coming on.

Tigernuts are tiny nut-like tubers that taste like a cross between pecans and almonds. They are grown across Africa, and in Nigeria, they’re cultivated in the North and can be found at the market in nearly all forms: fresh, dehydrated, roasted, or milled into a flour. On their own, they’re delicious—mild, slightly sweet, and nutritious— full of protein, calcium, magnesium, and fiber. When rehydrated and pressed, these tiny tubers yield a thick and creamy liquid. An important step in extracting the milk is allowing the nuts to soak for at least 12 hours, a process I refer to here as “blooming.” I’m always surprised at how much liquid tigernuts can absorb. They plump up after a good soak—about 2 to 3 times their original size.

Kunun aya is typically served sweetened with crushed dates or honey and spiced with ginger. This filling beverage can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled, and will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, and up to 3 months frozen.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘My Everyday Lagos' by Yewande Komolafe, one of our top cookbooks of 2023. Buy the full book on Amazon.