Go nutty for tiger nut drink
While some people are skeptical about carbonated soft drinks due to the high level of sugar and additives in them, there are natural drinks that are healthier. One of them, experts say, is the refreshing drink made from tiger nuts.
Tiger nut drink or milk, which is popular known by its Hausa name (Kunun Aya) is becoming increasingly popular. Fascinatingly, it is also popular in Spain where it is called Horchata.
Tiger nut, surprisingly, isn’t a nut, but actually a small tuber which is abundant in the Northern part of Nigeria and has quite some health benefits. It serves a lot of purposes. It could be served during occasions and also it could be consumed as a normal drink at any time of the day. The naturally sweet and creamy liquid has a rich flavour.
Unlike milks made from almonds or other nuts, which are typically very high in inflammatory fatty acids, tiger nut milk is, instead, rich in monounsaturated fat, as well as minerals and vitamins C and E. For this reason, as far as non-dairy milks go, most people tend to prefer tiger nut milk.
Kunun Aya is made using fresh tiger nuts or rather soaked one, coconut, ginger and dates. Interestingly, all the ingredients used in making tiger nut drink are easily accessible. The milky drink takes less than 15 minutes to make which is really easy and straightforward. Firstly, the dry nuts are soaked in clean water for a day or two. Sometimes it could be soaked a night before it will be prepared so it could soak overnight. After soaking, the nuts are washed thoroughly and the bad ones sorted out. The nuts are then put into an electric blender with a little amount of water.
Other ingredients like coconut, ginger, dates, cinnamon and flavour could be added too at this point. Blend all the ingredients together until everything is well incorporated. Thereafter, use a sieve or chiffon cloth to separate the chaff from the drink. The stock should be well pressed so that all the milk is squeezed out from the chaff. The chaff is then put back into the blender and with water added to it, blend again and strain to extract more milk from it.
Note that some people use a local stone grinder to process the nuts. But the use of a blender is more convenient and a lot easier.
The milk is then refrigerated to make it cold before consumption. Ice cubes could also be added to the drink for instant consumption, preferably chilled. It spoils easily especially if it isn’t kept cool. Ideally, it shouldn’t be consumed three days after it has been made.
On the health side, tiger nuts help to prevent heart attacks and improve blood circulation. Due to the high contents of soluble glucose, they also help prevent cancer. The very high fiber content combined with a delicious taste makes them ideal for healthy eating. It’s also a great source for non-meat protein and a variety of benefits including vitamin C. Go ahead and enjoy a glass today!