Kuli Kuli: A Taste of Benin’s Culinary Heritage

Kuli kuli is a tasty snack famous in Benin and West Africa for its nutty and crunchy taste. With groundnuts, ginger, pepper, salt to taste, and this thorough guide, you can prepare brittle biscuits.

Background and Origin

Kuli Kuli is traced to West Africa, specifically Benin, Nigeria, Ghana, and northern Cameroon. The snack, often enjoyed by adults, children, and tourists, is also called groundnut cake or chips.

It comes in various shapes and sizes; popular among them are circular and pencil-like shapes. 

Let’s get to the guide on how to make authentic Benin kuli kuli.

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How to Make Kuli Kuli from West Africa

Ingredients

• 3 cups of fresh groundnut/peanuts: they contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that prevent heart disease and lower bad cholesterol.
• 6” Dried ginger: an excellent source of treating diabetes, reducing inflammation, and boosting the immune system.
• 7 Dried red pepper: studies show dried pepper can help in the prevention of cancer risk, boosting the immune system, and helping to relieve pain.
• ½ teacup of corn flour: Corn flour offers a gluten-free alternative for those with sensitivities and serves as a good source of fiber. It’s also an energy booster and helps in digestion.
• ¼ teacup sugar
• Salt to taste
• Some cold water

Instructions for Making Benin Kuli Kuli

1. Pour the groundnuts on a flat tray and pick out any foreign material like stones and husks.
2. Transfer to a pot, preferably an oval pan, and roast on low heat for 20 minutes until the skin begins to come off.
3. Rub the roasted groundnuts in between your palms to remove the skin entirely.
4. Blend the groundnuts with the dried ginger and pepper to a smooth consistency. You don’t have to add water; use a strong blender like the BushyMix. 
5. Transfer the groundnut paste to a large bowl, stirring circularly consistently after blending. Add a quarter cup of cold water at intervals while stirring the groundnut paste. This is because the groundnut paste is usually hot after blending or grinding it. If your groundnut paste is cold after blending it, use warm water to mix it.
6. Keep stirring and adding water at intervals of about five to seven times. While stirring, add salt to taste, preferably about 1 teaspoon. Add some water and keep stirring.
7. You’ll know the groundnut paste is ready when it’s thick and you notice the presence of oil.
8. Add another batch of cold water and keep stirring to get more oil. Keep stirring until the groundnut paste forms a dough or ball and separates from the oil.

Shaping the kuli kuli

1. Separate the oil from the groundnut dough into another bowl or container.
2. Divide the groundnut dough into two parts to make a salt and sweet version of kuli kuli.
3. For the salt version, there’s no need to add anything else; just take small portions and roll them into your desired shape. The most common shape is to roll them round and thin like a pencil.
4. For the sweet version, add the corn flour and sugar and knead until you achieve an even consistency. Then take small portions and mold them into your desired shape. If you’re making both versions, it’s better to mold them in different shapes to differentiate them.
5. Put the oil extracted from the groundnut mix in a frying pot on medium heat.
6. Fry the kuli kuli until it’s ready and crunchy.
7. Package the groundnut oil for later use
8. Enjoy the kuli kuli when it’s warm or cold.

Tips on How to Prepare Kuli Kuli

• Add more pepper and ginger if you like a spicy feel.
• You can use a food processor or stand mixer to blend the groundnut. This way, you don’t have to transfer and manually mix the groundnut paste to get the oily dough. Just blend the groundnut in the food processor, adding cold water at intervals to get results. This will save you a lot of time and energy.
• You don’t have to divide the groundnut dough if you want to make only one version of the kuli kuli, that is, just a sweet or salty version.

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Conclusion

If you’re looking for a recipe for a crunchy snack you can make at home, this guide is your best bet. Ensure not to roast the groundnuts too brown so they don’t look too dark after frying them. You can serve kuli kuli at family gatherings and events or share it in your community.

Let me know how they turn out!