Nigeria | Breakfast

Masa

Northern Nigerian fermented rice cakes cooked in small wells until lightly crisp outside and soft inside.

Country
Nigeria
Region
West Africa
Time
65 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Start cooking Explore Nigeria recipes
01 / Get ready

Everything you need

Tap each ingredient as you gather it. Illustrations are visual guides; follow the ingredient names and quantities.

Servings 6

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

Jump to methodMy cookbook

02 / Let’s cook

One step at a time

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Nigeria
4 steps 40 min prep 25 min cook (check method) 65 min total medium
1
Soak the rice
Soak raw rice overnight, then drain well.
overnight soak 480:00
2
Blend the batter
Blend soaked rice, cooked rice, sugar, salt, yeast, and warm water into a smooth thick batter.
blend 07:00
3
Ferment
Cover and leave the batter in a warm place until bubbly and slightly risen.
ferment 120:00
4
Cook the masa
Oil a masa pan, pour batter into each well, and cook until set and golden, turning once.
cook batch 07:00

Some batters include cooked rice for softness, some use yeast, and some rely more on natural fermentation.

Cooking notes, photos & serving ideas
Recipe context

More about this dish

Serving ideas, regional context, and cooking cues for when you want more detail.

When to cook it

Best for breakfast, market snacks, Ramadan tables, or a light supper.. Plan on a medium cook. Allow about 65 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Yaji, suya pepper, miyan taushe, honey, or spicy tomato sauce.

Regional lane

Northern Nigerian table. Hausa and northern dishes made with grains, rice swallows, dried spices, groundnut, baobab leaves, and street foods.

Chef watch-outs
  • Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
  • Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
  • Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
How you know it is ready
  • The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
  • The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
  • The bread or batter should smell pleasantly fermented, toasted, or nutty rather than floury.
Pantry lane

palm oil, crayfish, iru or ogiri, scotch bonnet, melon seed

Recipe photos

See the dish before you cook

Take a closer look at the dish and its serving ideas.

Masa recipe from Nigeria
Masa finished dish
Chef board

Build the table around Masa

Yaji, suya pepper, miyan taushe, honey, or spicy tomato sauce.

Best route from here

Northern Nigerian table

Collections to keep cooking
Nigerian Regional Table Northern Nigerian Comforts West African Street Food
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