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Kuli Kuli

Also known as Kuli Kuli (Fried Groundnut Cake)

Kuli Kuli is one of the most beloved and culturally significant Northern Nigerian snack foods — compact, dense, fried cakes made from groundnuts that have been ground, had most of their oil extracted and then formed into various shapes and deep-fried until hard, dry and intensely crunchy. The oil extraction process that defines Kuli Kuli production gives the finished product a distinctive dryness and crunch unlike any other fried snack.

Kuli Kuli, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of raw groundnuts (peanuts)
  • Half a teaspoon of ground ginger
  • Half a teaspoon of salt
  • Half a teaspoon of ground Cameroon pepper — optional, for a spiced version
  • A tiny amount of water — only if absolutely necessary to bind
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method

  1. 01

    Dry-Roasting the Groundnuts. Toast the raw groundnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until deeply golden and the skins are blistering. Cool completely. Remove all skins by rubbing between the palms.

  2. 02

    Grinding to a Paste. Place the roasted, skinless groundnuts in a blender. Blend until a completely smooth, thick paste forms — the groundnut will first become a powder, then as its oils are released, form a paste similar to peanut butter. This is correct.

  3. 03

    Extracting the Oil — The Critical Kuli Kuli Step. Turn the groundnut paste onto a clean surface. Using both hands, knead and squeeze the paste vigorously for 8 to 10 minutes. The natural groundnut oil will begin to exude from the paste as you work — this oil should be collected and set aside for cooking use. Keep kneading until the paste has lost a significant amount of its oil and has become drier, stiffer and more crumbly. This drier paste is what makes Kuli Kuli uniquely crunchy rather than oily.

  4. 04

    Seasoning and Shaping. Add ground ginger, salt and Cameroon pepper to the oil-extracted paste. Mix thoroughly. Shape into small sticks, rings, balls or any desired form. If the paste is too crumbly to hold its shape, add just a few drops of water and knead again.

  5. 05

    Frying. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Fry the Kuli Kuli shapes for 8 to 12 minutes, turning regularly, until deeply golden-brown, very dry and completely hard. Kuli Kuli must be fried slowly at a moderate temperature — too high and the outside burns before the inside dries out.

  6. 06

    Cooling and Storing. Drain on paper towels. Allow to cool and harden completely — Kuli Kuli continues to crisp as it cools.

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