If you do not like or cannot have regular dairy milk, or if you have decided to go vegan, you should definitely try tiger nut milk! It is a healthy alternative that will be perfect for everyone. Below, you can find out what tiger nuts are and how to make tigernut milk at home.
What are tiger nuts?
Surprisingly, tiger nuts, in fact, are not nuts! Despite having the word in the name, they belong to the class of root vegetables called tubers. Some other names for tiger nuts include earth almond, chufa sedge and nut grass. In their raw state, they are crunchy and hard, so most people usually soak them in water before eating.
Tiger nuts do not contain dairy, gluten, soy, nuts or grain, so if you suffer from allergic reactions to different foods, these tigernuts will not cause you any trouble. They also contain resistant starch that help your digestive tract work properly. Tiger nuts belong to the class of superfoods, which means that they have great nutritional value.
Now that you know what tigernuts are, it is time to learn how to make tigernut milk.
How to make tiger nut milk at home
Tigernut milk (also known in Nigeria as Kunnu Aya) mostly tastes like tigernuts (obviously), and the taste is hard to explain to a person who has never tried it before. It is somewhat sweet, very creamy and has a faint hint of a nutty flavor. However, the added spices (like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger etc.) make it so much more delicious. It is best served cold or in a smoothie form, but you can use it like any other milk and add it to your hot beverage of choice.
To make tigernut milk, you will need:
☑ 1 cup of tigernuts (dry);
☑ 4 cups of cold filtered water;
☑ Spices of your choice (we recommend cinnamon or cardamom, but you can use anything you like);
☑ A pinch of salt (preferably sea salt or any unrefined salt);
☑ A blender;
☑ A nut milk bag or chiffon cloth (or anything that can be used for separating the pulp from the milk);
☑ Glass jars for storage.
READ ALSO: How to make yogurt at home in Nigeria?
Instructions:
Step 1. Place your tigernuts in a jar and pour regular water over them. Add a pinch of salt, close the lid and shake the jar until the salt has dissolved.
Step 2. Put the jar somewhere cold, preferably in the fridge, because the tiger nuts might begin the fermentation process. Leave the jar to sit for at least 24 hours. It is best to let the nuts soak for as long as possible – up to 72 hours.
Step 3. After the time has passed, drain the water from the jar and thoroughly wash the tigernuts, sorting and removing the bad ones. You can leave a little bit of water they have been soaking in to add later in the milk-making process to add more flavor.
Step 4. Put the soaked and rinsed tiger nuts in a blender. Take your filtered water and pour it over them. You can also add your leftover soaking water. We recommend putting half of it first, and then adding the rest later. Better to start with less water, as adding too much of it will ruin the taste of the milk and make it too watery.
Step 5. If you chose to add spices, add them now, before you start blending. However, if it is your first time trying tigernut milk, try making it first without any added flavors.
Step 6. Blend the nuts on the highest speed for about 2-3 minutes. When you can only see small particles of the nuts, stop blending. Pour your milk through your strainer of choice.
Step 7. Put the nuts back in the bender, add more water and repeat the previous step. You can use the same batch of tigernuts for up to 3 times to get all the milk out.
Step 8. Pour all of your milk in the jars and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before consuming, shake your jar to mix separated particles. Also, do not through the pulp away. It can also be consumed in its raw form or used in cooking.
Now your milk is ready to be consumed! We hope you have enjoyed our recipe, and you have learned how to make tiger nut milk. Wasn’t it easy? Go ahead and treat your friends and loved ones with this delicious milk.
READ ALSO: Two simple ways to make almond oil at home
0naze
No comments:
Post a Comment