Masa: A friendly delicacy in Bauchi

Mrs Tamu Gambo, a masa baker, on duty

Mrs Tamu Gambo, a masa baker, on duty

Masa is a Northern snack similar to a pan fried rice cake. The recipes vary from one household to the other, but the basic premise never changes. Traditionally masa is made into an oval shape which one can bake with some onions and ginger. The ingredients needed to prepare the delicacy depends on what it is meant for.

If it is just for home consumption, the following can be used, 1.5 cups of raw rice, 1.5 tablespoons of cooked rice, 1.5 teaspoons of active dry yeast, 4 tablespoons of sugar, 2 cups of water at room temperature, 1/4 teaspoon of ground akaun (cooking potash) (optional), and a ½ teaspoon of salt.

To prepare Masa, according to Mrs Sam, who is into the business at Gwallameji area of Bauchi metropolis, soak the raw rice in 5 cups of water overnight, dissolve the sugar and akaun (potassium) in the 1.5 cups of water and add the yeast. Set aside in a warm area for 10-15 minutes, drain the rice completely and then blend the measure of rice with the yeast and akaun mixture to make a smooth batter. Add the cooked rice, and blend to combine well. The batter should be very thick and pour into a large bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 8-12 hours. The mixture is alowed to rise, collapse and ferment then salt is added with a little bit more of sugar if needed. Add a bit of water if necessary so that you have a batter that is just as thick as pap. The person will then heat the pan over a medium heat, wipe a few drops of oil over it, stir the batter and pour in 3-4 tablespoons, depending on the size of the pan and afterwards slip after 2.5mins and cook the other side for another 2 minutes. One will keep making until all the batter is used up then serve masa as a snack or as a breakfast cake.

‘Masa Bauchi’ was the popular identity for every masa in the North, irrespective of the state or town the masa was made. The reason is simple: the origin of masa is the state. Traditionally, in Hausaland, masa is used occasionally in the ceremonial and festive periods, more commonly during breakfast.

Every morning, in streets of Bauchi and in other cities in Northern Nigeria, commercial masa makers from various households and in the joints are ready to sell the delicacy, with miya, to willing consumers while the queues for the delicacy are usually lengthy, some prefer to eat it on the spot, others buy and take away.

Masa is popularly served with yajin karago – made from groundnut cake pepper, with garlic seasoning, spinach soup (a vegetable soup called miyan alayyahu), stew, egusi soup, pepper soup, oxtail soup, among others.

It is usually served, wrapped in paper especially by the commercial masa sellers. This helps it to regain its natural taste and texture for some time. When it is wrapped with paper, it neither swells nor gets wet. Masa happens to be the leading snack in most occasions in Bauchi; and the residents and celebrants prioritise its availability at occasions.

Just as tourists get amused and then enjoy it when they are served at the Yankari Games Reserve, dignitaries at occasions (especially non-natives) eat it, love it and demand for more.

According to renowned masa maker and merchant in Bauchi, Mrs Elizabeth Gainaka, the delicacy became popular, because of its availability and the affordability of its key ingredients in the state, saying, “For the people of Bauchi, masa is a special food that has no specific time of consumption. They cherish it a lot. Thus, every ethnic group likes it, as they fry it just as Hausas do,” she said.

According to the merchant, she had made masa at a number of events in many states of Northern Nigeria, where it was enjoyed with suya or soups of choice, adding that, “I have been invited to make masa in Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri, Gombe, Katsina, Sokoto and Plateau. The invitations come from some passers-by, travelers, customers and those who learnt about my reputation from their relatives here in Bauchi and many others.”

Elizabeth Gainaka added that since she started the masa business over 20 years ago, God had blessed her as she had been able to use the proceeds to cater for the needs of her immediate family as well as employ many people who are either paid daily, weekly or monthly depending on the arrangement made for the payment. She added that she had been able to use part of the gains to go on pilgrimage to Israel and open branches in some states of the North in order to be able to meet up with demands of her numerous customers.

Adamu Usman, who is the manager of one of the businesses, declared that he had been engaged in the business for the past 10 years saying, “Since I started managing the masa business I have been able to do many useful things for myself and my immediate family. My madam ensures that all of us get paid as at when due and the development has made us to put in our best into the business”

Gidan Masa, built from proceeds from masa and where masa is also produced

He pointed out that, “we have several selling points within Bauchi metropolis in order to make the it easily accessible to our customers. We also have a branch in Jos while we ensure prompt delivery to any part of the country as soon as we receive requests and payment into the account of the business. All we will do is to ask for direction and we will go to the park to send the consignment and follow it up to ensure that it was delivered to the owner.”

At the Wunti street house of Gidan Launi which is famous for its masa, people are always seen trooping in to have the masa for breakfast because to most of them, the masa produced in that house cannot be compared with the ones produced elsewhere in the town. Gidan Launi is regarded as the home of masa in Bauchi.

Balarabe Equalizer declared that he hardly ate masa produced elsewhere apart from that of Gidan Launi because, according to him, “it is the best masa in Bauchi, in fact when you talk about masa in Bauchi, it is Gidan Launi that readily comes to mind. All others copied the masa business from there.”

As for Mrs. Maryamu Bayero, who started the masa business about five years ago at the main gate of the Federal Polytechnic in Bauchi, she has been using the little she makes to support her family and meet some basic needs of the family declaring that she was really enjoying doing the business though she hoped that in no distant future, government would help them to boost the business by giving them the required capital for expansion.

Mrs. Maryamu Bayero, who said that though her main target are the students of the Federal Polytechnic, others who are around patronise her due to the strategic location of her business centre a development she said made her to always be in business whether the school is in session or not though she makes more sales when the school is in session.

As for Madam Rebecca Samuel, who has her masa centre opposite the ATBU gate, business is gradually picking up because she has just joined the business and people have begun to know that her masa is as good as any other one that is produced anywhere in the town, pointing out, however, that she had introduced the sale of kunun gyada to the masa business in order to make the business move on well.

She is hopeful that with time, her business would be able to compete with all other such businesses in Bauchi because according to her, “I don’t compromise standard and quality. I ensure that the customers always enjoy their money particularly that we are in the students’ area; we cannot afford to give them anything less if we are to remain in business”.

Some of the students who spoke but did not want their pictures taken declared that since the joint was opened in the area they had been enjoying the masa delicacy because, according to them, it had given them the opportunity to have an alternate food particularly during the rush hours for lectures as they could just take it wrapped in papers and go for lectures added to the advantage that it could last hours without going stale.

The story is the same thing within Bauchi metropolis where the business of masa has now become a booming one. It is therefore not strange to see people of all ethnics.