The Hausa meal of Zazzau is not thought of in terms of starter-main-dessert but around a duo: tuwo, a firm millet or sorghum paste that you knead into balls with your fingers, and miya, a simmered sauce that accompanies it and gives it its flavor. Alongside this foundation come cereal snacks (fura), millet drinks (kunu), and, separately, ceremonial substances like the kola nut that is shared and offered.

Dawadawa — seeds of the locust bean tree long boiled then fermented into dark brown-black cakes — is the savory soul of Hausa cuisine. Long before the world spoke of umami, it gave Zazzau's sauces their round depth and slightly fermented base. A pinch transforms a simple leaf soup into a festive dish.