Sugared and Spiced, This Creamy Porridge Comforts

Kunun gyada, a subtly sweet West African blend of rice and peanuts, is a dish you want for iftar — and all year round.

A bowl of warm porridge drizzled with tamarind purée, kunun gyada recalls vivid memories for me, of visiting friends for iftar, the daily breaking of the Ramadan fast. Growing up in Nigeria, I experienced this dish as a welcome offering, with bowls handed to arriving guests, a restorative precursor to an evening’s meal. This versatile porridge can be prepared thick, to be eaten with a spoon, or thinned into a beverage, and served as quick nourishment at any time of day. But its balancing qualities make it an ideal starter, and an especially inviting addition to iftar. Accented with spices, it’s creamy, comforting and a delicious first taste before a feast. And, like other ways of breaking a fast (soups, light stews and snacks, such as dates), kunun gyada is a convenient — and delicious — way to ease out of a powerful hunger. The dish is just one of many contributions to West African cuisine from the Hausa people, who live in what is now northern Nigeria, Cameroon, southern Niger and elsewhere across the region. Like many beloved foods, kunun gyada — and other Hausa dishes — transcend borders and national identities.