Table of Contents
Gombe Cuisine
🌾 Waina Gombe (Millet Bubble Pancakes)
A northeastern version of waina, made from fermented millet, resulting in pancakes that are spongy and slightly tangy. Gombe cooks often add ground cloves or ginger for warmth and aroma. 1)
🍲 Miyan Tamen Tera (Baobab Leaf Soup)
A thick, nutritious soup prepared using baobab leaves, dried fish, onions, and a dash of potash for thickness. It’s a cherished Tera delicacy eaten with tuwo masara (maize swallow). 2)
🥣 Fura da Nono Gombe-Style
Fura is made from millet balls spiced with cloves, pepper, and ginger, served in fresh Fulani milk. In Gombe, it’s often blended into a smooth drink and sweetened lightly with honey. 3)
🍚 Tuwon Jankara (Guinea Corn Meal)
A staple swallow made from deep-purple guinea corn, giving it a distinctive color and earthy flavor. Popular among the Tangale and Waja communities. 4)
🍛 Miyan Kuka Gombe (Baobab Powder Soup with Smoked Meat)
A regional take on the Hausa classic, enriched with smoked goat meat, hot peppers, and dawadawa (locust beans). Deep, earthy, and unmistakably northeastern. 5)
🫘 Danwake Gombe (Savory Dumplings with Cayenne Oil)
Soft dumplings made from bean flour and potash, served with fried pepper oil, chopped vegetables, and boiled egg. In Gombe, ground sesame seeds are sometimes sprinkled on top. 6)
🥘 Gote Tangale (Millet & Vegetable Pottage)
A very local Tangale comfort food — millet grits cooked slowly with okra, pumpkin leaves, beans, and smoked fish. Thick, wholesome, and eaten as a one-pot meal. 7)
🐟 Kunun Tsamiya (Tamarind Millet Drink)
A refreshing beverage made from millet flour and tamarind pulp, lightly sweetened and served cold. Popular during the dry season. 8)
🧆 Kilishi Gombe (Air-Dried Spiced Beef)
Similar to jerky but coated with a spiced groundnut paste, sun-dried, and flame-kissed. Gombe vendors often make it extra spicy, with a sharper pepper bite than Kaduna or Kano versions. 9)
🍢 Balangwu Skewers (Waja Smoked Meat Sticks) Chunks of smoked beef or goat marinated in a pepper-onion paste, skewered and grilled over low heat. Known for its smoky, near-charcoal aroma. 10)
🌿 Miyan Fattasa (Local Leaf Soup with Rice Paste Balls)
A soup made with fattasa leaves (a regional herb), paired with soft rice paste dumplings. Rare outside Waja communities — deeply aromatic. 11)
🍠 Sinasir Gombe (Rice Crepes with Coconut & Pepper Oil)
Crepe-like rice batter pancakes lightly sweetened and finished with coconut shavings, then dipped in spicy pepper oil. A surprising but delicious contrast. 12)
🐐 Miyar Gyada Gombe (Groundnut Stew with Dried Goat Shreds)
Groundnut paste simmered with shredded sun-dried goat meat, tomatoes, and chili. Rich, smoky, and often eaten with tuwon dawa (guinea corn swallow). 13)
🌽 Kunun Gyada with Sorghum Crumble
A creamy drink/porridge made from groundnuts and sorghum, served warm with crumbled toasted sorghum balls on top. Perfect for breakfast or for nursing mothers. 14)
🥬 Bolewa Garden Soup (Mixed Leaf & Bean Broth)
A light, rustic soup prepared with fresh local greens, cowpeas, and mild spices. It’s a favorite among the Bolewa people — simple, seasonal, and nourishing. 15)