6 Yummy Nigerian Snacks You Need to Try

Nigeria is famous for its vast variety of dishes and cuisines. Nigerian food has an array of flavors and it is well known for being spicy. Several herbs, oils and spices are used as ingredients to create rich soups and sauces. Nigerian food is lavish, colorful and sumptuous.

In case, you are unsure where to find the native ingredients needed to prepare the Nigerian snacks mentioned in this post, you can search online for an African store that delivers these amazing ingredients right on your doorstep. These snacks are the perfect refreshment for entertaining guests at parties.

If you are from a West African country such as the Benin Republic, Ghana or Nigeria, you will be acquainted with these dishes. If you want to connect with the roots and culture of Nigeria, try out these mouthwatering snacks.

1. Akara

Akara is commonly eaten in Nigeria, Ghana and Brazil. It is a type of fritter. In order to make Akara, cowpeas are cooked and mashed. Then, they are salted and seasoned with chopped onions. Thereafter, they are deep-fried in dende (palm oil).

Akara is rich in protein and high in fibre. Akara tastes delicious when paired with sweet milk, ogi (corn pudding) or bread. Akara is served with hot peppers and green tomatoes.

2. Chin-Chin

Chin-chin is a deep-fried and crunchy Nigerian snack with a sweet taste. It is similar to a doughnut. The dough used for making chin-chin contains milk, butter, sugar, baking powder and flour. If you are a non-vegetarian, you may also add eggs. The dough is diced and then, the pieces are fried in vegetable oil. Chin-chin is sold by many street vendors in West African countries.

3. Puff-Puff

Puff-puff is also known as boflot, mikate and mandazi in different parts of Africa. Puff-puffs are made of dough. This dough contains flour, yeast, butter, sugar, salt, eggs and water. Then, they are fried in vegetable oil. For the best taste, puff puffs can be rolled in sugar or be topped with chocolate. It is commonly eaten as a dessert in picnics or parties.

4. Plantain Chips

Plantain chips are sweet bananas that are fried in hot oil until they are yellow. They are eaten with mayonnaise or ketchup. Kelewele is the spicy variant of plantain chips that are popular in Ghana.

5. Kuli-Kuli

Kuli-kuli is made from peanuts. It is eaten along with soaked garri. Sometimes kuli-kuli can be used to make salads. It is prepared by grinding peanuts into a paste and mixing it with spices. The excess oil is removed from the paste. Kuli-kuli has many nutritional benefits as it is packed with protein, magnesium and vitamin E.

Summing Up

These were some of the Nigerian snacks that you can prepare to impress your guests and loved ones. They can be served as starters or as side dishes to the main course. To make these snacks, you can easily get the ingredients from an African store delivered right to your doorstep. So, bring out your inner top chef and get busy preparing these Nigerian delicacies!

Sarah K, a professional writer who share interests in different creative niches. Her ideas and tips towards such niches have contributed to the online community.