Fonio, known in Nigeria as Acha is the smallest, and one of the fastest growing grains in the millet family. Though couscousesque, it is a wholegrain, versus couscous which is milled from durum wheat, and they cook up in a similar way. <br /> <br />There are two varieties of fonio across West Africa – white (Digitaria exilis) and black (Digitaria iburua). One of the most nutritious of all grains, it is rich in methionine and cystine, two amino acids vital to human health and not common in majority of popular grains like wheat, sorghum. <br /> <br />It is one of the oldest recognised grains, revered in some cultures - the Dogon of Mali believe it is 'the seed of the universe' from where the Earth sprouted, creating the catalyst for the Big Bang; and in ancient Egypt, the grain was found in the burial grounds of The Pyramids. <br /> <br />I like to toast in a dry pan till golden before using in recipes

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