LounjeLounjePlan my week

Nigerian Chin Chin

Also known as Nigerian Chin Chin (Full Traditional Method)

This recipe presents the full, traditional method of making Nigerian Chin Chin — the small, hard, golden, deep-fried dough snack that is so central to Nigerian snack culture that it appears at every celebration, in every gift tin, in every school lunchbox and on every party table. The traditional Chin Chin is distinguished from its commercialised versions by the quality of the butter, the freshness of the nutmeg and the precision of the rolling and frying.

Nigerian Chin Chin, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 6 big cups of plain flour
  • 3 big big tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg — freshly ground is noticeably better
  • A big stick of cold butter or margarine, softened
  • 3 big eggs, beaten
  • Evaporated milk — just enough to bring the dough together
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method

  1. 01

    Making the Perfect Chin Chin Dough. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and nutmeg into a large bowl. Add softened butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine, even breadcrumbs. Add all the beaten eggs. Mix well. Add evaporated milk very gradually — a tablespoon at a time — until the dough just comes together into a smooth, firm, slightly stiff ball. The dough must be stiff — a soft Chin Chin dough produces hard, tough fried Chin Chin. Do not overwork the dough.

  2. 02

    Resting. Wrap the dough in cling film and rest in a cool spot for 15 to 20 minutes.

  3. 03

    Rolling to Uniform Thickness. Divide the rested dough into manageable portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion as evenly thin as possible — ideally 2 coins thickness. The uniform thickness is critical — thicker pieces will not cook through before the outside browns; thinner pieces will burn before becoming crunchy.

  4. 04

    Cutting. Cut the rolled dough into small, uniform pieces using a sharp knife or a pastry wheel. Traditional shapes include small strips (cut lengthwise then across), small squares, diamonds or thin twists. All should be approximately the size of a thumbnail.

  5. 05

    Frying with Care. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to a moderate frying temperature — not too hot. Test with a small piece of dough; it should rise to the surface and sizzle gently. Fry the Chin Chin in large batches for 6 to 8 minutes per batch, stirring gently and constantly to ensure even, uniform golden browning. The sizzling sound will gradually diminish as the Chin Chin dries out and crisps — remove when evenly golden-brown.

  6. 06

    Cooling Completely. Drain on paper towels. Spread out in a single layer and allow to cool completely and naturally at room temperature before storing. Packaging hot Chin Chin in a sealed container creates steam that destroys the crunch.

More cakes, pies & pastries