Kunu Aya (Tiger nut juice) is a healthy juice commonly prepared in Northern Nigeria but consumed in diverse parts of Nigeria.
Tiger nut juice is best consumed with snacks or chilled on a hot sunny day as it's refreshing taste eases work pressures and revitalizes the body for another busy day ahead.
Recipe for Kunu Aya
A. 5 cups of Tiger nut
B. 1 full coconut
C. 3 cups of dry date palm
Method of Preparation
- Soak Aya (Tiger nut) in water over night to get re-hydrated and swell a little.
- Wash the date palm very well to remove dirts
- Carefully remove seeds (Deseed) of the date palm
- Remove the hard bark of the coconut and cut into desirable pieces
- Grind all recipes together
- Seive the grinded mixture with a Pap/Cheese cloth, strain the thick creamy mixture into a bowl. The first mixture strained would be thick. Place the chaff back into the blender, add some more water, blend & strain again till the whole creamy mixture is extracted. The subsequent mixture strained would be lighter than the first. It's always better not to make the kunun aya too light.
- Add very little or no sugar
- Add ice
- Serve chill
Date palm deseeded
Washed tiger but (Aya)
Shelled Coconut
Kunu Aya recipe set for processing
Kunu Aya ready to be consumed
Health benefits of Kunu Aya
It has necessary essential minerals; calcium,magnesium and iron necessary for bones, tissues repairs, and muscles development
It is essential for healthy fertility in both men and women
It prevents constipation diarrhoea, dysentery, debility (physical weakness) and indigestion.
Tiger nut is a good source of vitamin E: Tiger nuts are also a good source of the antioxidant, vitamin E, which helps to protect against the damage caused by free radicals in the body. Vitamin E can help prevent both cancer and coronary disease, as well as slow down the onset of the sign of ageing.
High amin0 acids: Another wonderful health benefit of tiger nut is that the nut is high in amino acids, especially one called arginine, which is beneficial to those suffering with high blood pressure. Arginine has been clinically proven to reduce blood pressure.
Images adapted from nairaland