Pure Tigernut flour is a flour produced from the tuber of the tiger nut plant. It is gluten-free, nut-
Tigernut flour can be made in two ways, by drying off the pulp leftover from making tiger nut milk (kunnu aya, horchata de chufas), Tiger nut Pulp flour and by grinding into powder the dry tigernut tuber giving you Pure tigernut flour. Both ways are good though the flours produced have a few differences which have to be put into consideration when using either.
The Pure tigernut flour is mostly store bought. Flour made this way has all of its nutrients still intact including the carbohydrate (3 g of net carbs per tablespoon of flour). The carbs make it suitable only in small quantity for diets like the keto diet. It is a high fibre flour, the texture is light but denser and sweeter than the tigernut pulp flour. There are different grades of Pure tigernut flour depending on its degree of fineness.
There are two ways to make Pure tiger nut flour, by using the raw dry tigernuts or toasted dry tigernuts. The toasting adds an extra toasty flavour profile to the flour. Toasting also dehydrates the nuts more making it easier to grind into a fine powder which is much darker than the flour from the untoasted nuts. It is entirely up to you to know which you prefer especially putting into consideration the recipes you will be using it for. You can buy Tigernut flour online from Jumia.com.
To make Pure Tigernut flour using raw tiger nut
Dry Tigernuts
Remove any stones or grit from the tiger nuts.
Wash very well and drain into a sieve.
Using a kitchen napkin, pat the tiger nuts to remove as much water as possible. (This is an optional step, but I do it to give the drying process a head-on and avoid the risk of spoilage during very humid weather).
Spread out on a tray in a single layer, well separated, for good air circulation.
Leave to dry over a few days in the sun or a well-ventilated room.
Grind tiger nuts to a powder. (I prefer using the commercial mills because they do a better job and the strain might be too much for my dry mill grinder).
Sift with a fine sieve to separate the chunkier grains.
Store in a bag or container and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
The fine powder can be used for general baking and for pancakes, fritters etc., while the coarser part can be used as a breading, for muesli, granola bars, topping on cereals, coating for energy balls etc.
To make Pure Tiger nut flour using toasted dry tigernut
Remove any stones or grit from the tiger nuts.
Wash very well and drain into a sieve.
Using a kitchen napkin, pat the tiger nuts to remove as much water as possible. (This is an optional step, but I do it to give the drying process a head-on).
Spread out on a tray in a single layer, well separated, for good air circulation.
Place in the oven at 150 deg. C for 30-60 minutes.
Leave to cool completely.
Grind tiger nuts to a powder. (I use the commercial mills, I have not attempted using my dry mill grinder).
Store in a bag or container and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Note
- You can buy Tigernut flour online from Jumia.com.
- If your oven starts at a higher temperature say 180 deg. C, you can leave the oven door slightly open to avoid burning.
- I sometimes toast mine for up to 1 hr, if I really want the flavour to be deeper.
- The toasted tigernut flour does not require sifting as it comes out as a fine powder due to the extra drying.
- I store mine in the fridge, I haven’t left it at room temperature for an extended period to know how long it will last.
- If you sieve it before use, don’t discard the rough chaff, you can use it as breading or sprinkle on yoghurt, cereal etc. I used it to coat my Tigernut energy balls.
You can also make Pulp Tigernut flour from left-over pulp after Tigernut milk, also enjoy making my Tigernut milk, Tigernut energy balls and learn 25 amazing facts about Tigernut flour. Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please leave a comment below.
Share this recipe using the share buttons.
Subscribe to the blog for instant notifications of new recipes.
Follow on Instagram: @thepretendchefofficial, Twitter: @thepretendchef Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thepretendchef/ and Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thepretendchef/
I am Ganiru, a wife, a mother, a food blogger, a chef, an author and an accountant. I love to cook and write about food, especially Nigerian and afro-centric food...
Can I use gas and pot to dry my tigernut since I don’t have oven
Hi Precious, I believe you can. It might take a little longer and will need continuous stirring to avoid burning
Can I give it to my baby
I actualy can’t advice on that. For a baby, it is always best to ask a qualified nutitionist
The tiger nut flour I was using is out of stock so I bought another brand but it’s gritty. Do you think if I tried putting it in my high speed blender that would help?
Yes, that should turn it into a fine powder.
Hi, great writeup!
I just wanted to confirm that you used whole, unpeeled nuts to make flour from scratch. I am considering this but I know the nuts are really hard. I have a high powered blender that normally has no problem with making flour or nut butter, but want to be sure before I order.
Thanks much!
I have problems drying out the tiger nut pulp after making milk. Do you have any suggestions? I have left it overnight in the oven at around 100 degrees but it seems to only dry out the top layer of it and some still starts to smell after a couple of days. What other suggestions do you have for properly drying the flour before storing it? I also once stored it without drying it out properly and this was a big mistake as the flour was in a glass jar and when I opened it, there was a fermentation pop and the smell was terrible!
How will preserve Tiger nuts flour for commercial use
Hi Abraham, I just make for personal use and store in my freezer.
Pls how can tiger nut powder be preserved for commercial purposes, is it possible to add dry coconut and dates in order to use it for tiger nut milk
Hi Rose, I store my tiger nut powder in the fridge or freezer.
I have not tried using powdered coconut for tiger nut milk.
Pingback: Tips for making awesome cakes - The Pretend Chef
Pingback: How to make Tigernut Pulp Flour - The Pretend Chef