Breakfast

Alkubus

Name: Alkubus
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 300 g plain wheat flour; 100 g whole-wheat flour; 5 g instant yeast; 10 g sugar; 0.75 tsp salt; 330 ml lukewarm water (Not hot; add gradually); 1 tbsp neutral oil (For greasing moulds); 1500 ml water (For the steamer)

Soft yeast-raised wheat bread steamed in individual moulds for serving with soup or stew. Alkubus brings wheat to the northern table in a steamed form. Its soft crumb takes up sauces, and cooks serve it with preparations including miyan taushe and vegetable stew. Home recipes vary between a thick batter and a soft dough, and in the balance of white and whole-wheat flour. Cultural context: A northern steamed wheat preparation associated with Hausa cooking; it may use white flour, whole wheat or both.

: Pale steamed alkubus breads with a soft wheat crumb

20 minPreparation

35 minCooking

4Servings

Allow 60 additional minutes for resting / soaking. Total: 115 minutes.

What you’ll need

4 servings

Let’s get cooking

1
Mix both flours, yeast, sugar and salt. Stir in the lukewarm water gradually to form a very soft, sticky dough. Beat firmly with a spoon for 3 minutes.
2
Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for 45–60 minutes, until clearly puffed and aerated.
3
Oil eight heatproof metal or silicone moulds of about 200 ml capacity, with extra moulds ready if needed. Stir the dough briefly and divide between them, filling each no more than halfway; use the extra moulds rather than overfilling.
4
Bring steamer water to a boil. Arrange moulds above the water with space for steam circulation. Cover and steam for 25–35 minutes.
5
Check the centre of one bread with a skewer: it should emerge without sticky raw dough, and the centre should feel set. Add boiling water below the basket if needed during cooking.
6
Stand 5 minutes before unmoulding. Serve warm with soup or stew.

A little kitchen wisdom

Use heatproof food-safe moulds rather than ordinary shopping bags If the steamer cannot hold all moulds, refrigerate the second batch of dough while the first cooks and allow extra batch-cooking time Avoid lifting the lid repeatedly during the first 20 minutes Timing: active preparation 20 min; cooking 35 min; additional passive time 60 min; conservative planning allowance 115 min. Some stages may overlap. For Recipe.ng display, prep_minutes includes the additional passive time; it is not all hands-on work. Recipe status: Research draft; not kitchen-tested. Allergens and checks: wheat; gluten

Recipe notes & sources

Research draft; not kitchen-tested

Also known as: Alkubus steamed bread

A northern steamed wheat preparation associated with Hausa cooking; it may use white flour, whole wheat or both.

Allergens: wheat, gluten

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Breakfast

Breakfast

Alkubus

20 minPreparation

35 minCooking

4Servings

Allow 60 additional minutes for resting / soaking. Total: 115 minutes.

What you’ll need

4 servings

Let’s get cooking

1
Mix both flours, yeast, sugar and salt. Stir in the lukewarm water gradually to form a very soft, sticky dough. Beat firmly with a spoon for 3 minutes.
2
Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for 45–60 minutes, until clearly puffed and aerated.
3
Oil eight heatproof metal or silicone moulds of about 200 ml capacity, with extra moulds ready if needed. Stir the dough briefly and divide between them, filling each no more than halfway; use the extra moulds rather than overfilling.
4
Bring steamer water to a boil. Arrange moulds above the water with space for steam circulation. Cover and steam for 25–35 minutes.
5
Check the centre of one bread with a skewer: it should emerge without sticky raw dough, and the centre should feel set. Add boiling water below the basket if needed during cooking.
6
Stand 5 minutes before unmoulding. Serve warm with soup or stew.