Skip to content

Dish

Miyan Taushe

Soup

What it is

Miyan Taushe is a Hausa pumpkin soup made using the flesh of a squash-like pumpkin (kabewa) cooked down with ground melon or groundnut, vegetables and often dried fish or meat. It has a thick, mildly sweet base from the pumpkin and is a common everyday soup in northern Nigerian homes.

Key ingredients

  • pumpkin (kabewa)
  • ground egusi or groundnut
  • dried fish
  • meat
  • spinach or other leafy vegetable
  • onions
  • ground pepper
  • dawadawa

A list of what goes in, not a recipe. Quantities and method vary by household.

How it is eaten

Miyan Taushe is eaten with a stiff swallow such as tuwo shinkafa or tuwo masara, taken by hand from the swallow and dipped into the soup. It is served as a regular family meal and also appears at informal gatherings.

Cultural significance

Taushe is a long-standing part of Hausa domestic cooking, built around locally grown pumpkin and often prepared with whatever vegetables and protein are available. It is not linked to a specific festival, but is a familiar comfort soup across Hausa communities in Kano, Sokoto and other northern states, sometimes served to guests as part of everyday hospitality.

Spotted something wrong? Tell us.

Where this dish leads next.