tuwon shinkafa | rice balls | omotuo

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Tuwon shinkafa is a type of fufu or swallow made with rice. It is traditionally made with a type of rice grain that is soft, starchy and sticky hence, it is used in making tuwo or rice balls. It can be made with rice grain or rice flour. Tuwon shinkafa is a common northern Nigerian type of fufu. It is delicious and pairs well with any type of soup.

• Heat up 3 - 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
• While the water is heating up, in a sauce pan, add 2 cups of rice flour and mix with 2  1/2 cups of room temperature water. Mix until you have a uniform consistency. Place on a stovetop and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly. It will begin to thicken up after a while and soft lumps will begin to develop (do not worry because they will be dissolved). Continue to stir until it forms a dough. Press the formed dough against the side of the pan, this will dissolve any lump that was formed.
• After a solid ball of dough is formed and the dough becomes very stiff and hard to stir, add 1 - 1 1/2 cups of hot water or more (depending on how soft you prefer your tuwon shinkafa). The hot water helps to maintain the temperature of the tuwo and continue the cooking process. Break the ball of dough into smaller chunks for even cooking, then cover to cook for about 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, stir it and press it against the wall of the pan until it forms a uniform soft dough. The dough will be less stiff and less whitish. It will be more stretchy and will develop a creamy color. This tells you that the tuwo is done.
• Wrap your tuwo with a food plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. You could also put the unwrapped tuwo in a bowl or plate that has a lid. It can be consumed hot or cold. And it pairs well with any soup.

Ingredients

2 cups rice flour

2  1/2 cups room temperature 

1 - 1  1/2 cups hot boiling water