The people of the Northern part of Nigeria as a whole have a very rich cultural heritage which is evidenced in their languages, dressing, music and dance, and most especially, in the culinary aspect. The list of great dishes from this interesting part of Nigeria is almost unending, each food being special in its own way; spanning through meals, soups, snacks, drinks, etc.
Due to space restrictions, only few famous and notable ones will be listed here; on how to prepare them, you’d have to meet a local – or use a search engine.

Tuwon Shinkafa: this is the most popular northern Nigerian food as it is eaten everywhere and it is the most well-known outside the North. It is basically thick and solid rice pudding. It looks like the common swallow-foods of Nigeria, except that Northerners don’t swallow food without chewing. Tuwo Shinkafa is mostly eaten with the popular ‘Miyan Kuka’. ‘Tuwo’ is a generic name for solid/swallow foods in Hausa, and ‘Shinkafa’ means rice. There are other different ‘Tuwos’.

Tuwon Dawa: this is ground guinea-corn made thick and solid (swallow), and also eaten with soups like Kuka and okra. This meal is special as it is majorly cooked with firewood to get the best out of it. It will probably not get well-cooked on kerosene or gas stove, except in small quantity.

Tuwon Masara: this is the generic Tuwo’s corn-flour version, and can be taken with any good soup. Looks so much like ‘Semolina’.

Tuwon Acha: prepared from ground ‘acha’ grains, and made into swallow.

Brabusco: this is a traditionally made couscous, common to Northern Nigeria, especially in Maiduguri. It goes well with spicy stew of meat and vegetables.

Pate: ‘Pate’ is generally used to classify porridge in Northern Nigeria. Pate is commonly made with ground corn or rice, cooked with vegetables, tomatoes, onions, pepper, garden egg, locust beans, groundnut, biscuit bone, meats minces and sometimes, assorted meat parts. It is common among Kaduna, Nassarawa, Plateau and other Northwestern states. Other Pate meals common to other Northern parts are Pate n'Doya (yam porridge), Pate n’Wake (Beans Porridge), and etcetera.

Now to the soups;
Miyan Kuka: this is arguably the most famous northern Nigerian soup. It can also be called ‘Baobab Leaf Soup’. ‘Miyan’ generally means soup in Hausa, and ‘Kuka’ means ‘Baobab’. The green draw-soup is made from ground baobab leaf and special spices, preferably ‘yaji’ (a mixture of ground pepper, ginger, garlic and other seasonings/herbs). Tomatoes are not added to this soup, and not too many ingredients are used.

Miyan Yakuwa: Yakuwa is a kind of leafy vegetable that has sour taste. It can be cooked with either palm oil or groundnut oil, and can be garnished with meat, smoked fish, etc. Potash is added to the soup to reduce the sour taste.

Miyan Zogale: This is basically Moringa (Ollifera) soup, heavily spiced and garnished with extras to give it a great taste. Moringa is ‘Zogale’ in Hausa language.

Ezowa: Traditional soup of the Nupe people of Northern Nigeria, especially in Niger State, made from ground beans, pepper and other seasoning. Looks like the ‘Gbegiri’ soup of the Southwestern Nigeria.

The list will be incomplete without the famous snacks like;
Kuli-Kuli: this is one famous Nigerian snack that has its origin indigenous to the Northern Nigeria. It’s eaten by all tribes and can be found everywhere in Nigeria. It can simply be snacked on alone or enjoyed as supplement to semi-liquid foods like garri and akamu.

Kuli-kuli is made from ground peanut and seasoning, hardened and given a shape, mostly long, round and thin.

Masa: made from soaked and ground rice, prepared with clay forms with heat source from beneath. It is traditionally served with ‘miyan taushe’ or ‘yaji’ (Suya Pepper). Sugar and salt are added to Masa in its paste form to enhance taste, and yeast is also added, among other ingredients. Its flat variety is called ‘Sinasir’.

Suya: this is the famous thin barbeque meat you find on almost all streets in Nigeria. Its origin is the North, and it’s a business you see majorly northerners doing in those parts you find a Suya spot.

Kilishi: when you are travelling down from the north, everybody expects you to buy the delicious Kilishi. This is simply meat made into paste and heavily seasoned to taste, before dried. It’s usually brushed on both sides.
One notorious drinkable that makes the list is:

Fura De’Nunu: this is the first drinkable meal that comes to mind at the thought of Northern Nigerian delicacies. It is basically cow milk mixed with cooked and ground millet or sorghum. It is highly nutritious and can be taken alone as a whole meal.

Each tribe has its own special meal or soup, and most of the ‘specials’ in Northern Nigeria are named after the tribe such food is indigenous to. For example;
Margi Special: “Margi Special is a special delicacy indigenous to us here in Adamawa State. It is basically fish with vegetables. It is mostly cooked at night; the whole night is spent cooking it”, Madam Rabiyatu S. Haruna, the founder of Vajili Restaurant, Yola, said when asked about special indigenous delicacies. The reason for this is still an issue of speculation, and maybe that makes it ‘special’.

Kilba Special (Vulapaupau): this is an exotic draw soup exclusively indigenous to the Kilba people of the North. It is made with okra, ground peanut or groundnut, garden eggs, etc.

Many different rich varieties of delicacies can be found among the people of Northern Nigeria; this list does not even reflect half of the culinary riches these people are endowed with.

On your next trip to the north, ensure you have a ‘foods to try’ list handy so you can have a more fulfilling and delicious experience.
I know you might have tried some in likes of
Suya
Kilishi
Nunu etc

I grew up in the north am I'm a sucker for Kilishi and Kulikuli.

The home made Talia (spaghetti) is also a delight.

Wow where exactly? If u dnt mind

I've tasted all the foods u mentioned expect Pete

Even the name alone is disgusting.

I enjoyed nothern food,especially. .kunu,
I still prepare tuwon chikafa for my family, and I am a sucker for kulikuli and dankuwa.

alberto2k:
I've tasted all the foods u mentioned expect Pete

Even the name alone is disgusting.

pete is kaduna meal is kul doh

I miss Pate and zogole so much.

What about dankwa, goose goose, masa, Keri Keshi etc

armyofone:
I miss Pate and zogole so much.

What about dankwa, goose goose, masa, Keri Keshi etc

wow mhen u sure u not frm north coast?

What about dankuya/ dankuwa (sorry about the wrong spelling). It's really nice

alberto2k:
I've tasted all the foods u mentioned expect Pete

Even the name alone is disgusting.

cos. U haven't tasted it

...I so love Kwaruru...yummy.

Yahx, have you tasted kwaruru?

yahx:
wow mhen u sure u not frm north coast?

armyofone:
...I so love Kwaruru...yummy.

Yahx, have you tasted kwaruru?

sure I dnt lik d dry one except d fresh one