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Miyan Taushe

Miyan taushe is the Hausa people's signature soup — fresh pumpkin and its leaves cooked with groundnut (peanut) paste, tripe or beef, dawadawa (fermented locust bean), and dried pepper into a thick, golden-orange stew. 'Miyan' means 'soup' in Hausa; this is Hausa soul food, served with tuwo shinkafa or tuwo masara. The groundnut-pumpkin combination creates a nutritional profile unmatched in West African cuisine.

Compiled by APEX Legacy from published research and documented food history, under the editorial direction of Jonathan Jackson, Founder. How we write and review these pages →

Why it is ours

Miyan taushe is north Nigeria's answer to egusi soup — equally nourishing, with a distinct groundnut richness that echoes Black American peanut stew traditions. For Black American men concerned about prostate health, this soup represents an ancestral pharmacological intervention that is delicious and accessible.

What it does

Pumpkin's beta-carotene concentration is one of the highest of any food — cooked pumpkin delivers 8,500 IU per serving, and fat from groundnut paste increases beta-carotene absorption 4.5-fold. Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A which regulates epithelial cell differentiation — deficiency is associated with prostate epithelium hyperplasia and prostate cancer risk. Black American men have the highest prostate cancer mortality rate of any demographic, and beta-carotene plus zinc (both present in miyan taushe) is one of the strongest nutritional interventions for prostate health. Dawadawa (fermented locust bean) contributes diosgenin precursors supporting testosterone balance and nattokinase-like fibrinolytic enzymes. Groundnut paste provides L-arginine, the precursor to nitric oxide — directly relevant for endothelial function in hypertension.

How it is cooked

Cook cubed pumpkin and pumpkin leaves separately. Fry onion, ground crayfish, and dried pepper in oil. Add blended fresh tomato and cook down. Add meat, stockfish, and dawadawa. Add groundnut paste dissolved in water — stir constantly to prevent lumping. Add cooked pumpkin and leaves. Simmer 20 minutes until oil floats.

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