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Kuli-kuli (crisp groundnut rings)
Kuli-kuli: crunchy fried rings of spiced groundnut paste, the north's favourite snack
Kano's markets sell kuli-kuli by the bagful: hard, crunchy rings and sticks of roasted groundnut paste that has had its oil pressed out before frying. They taste deeply nutty, with a warm kick of ginger and chilli, and keep for weeks in a tin. People crunch them with soaked gari, with kunun drinks or crumble them over salads like zogale. If the oil isn't squeezed out properly the paste collapses in the pan, so keep working it until it feels firm and dry. The usual mistake is not pressing out enough oil from the groundnut paste, so the rings fall apart in the fryer. Chef's tip: they only crisp fully as they cool, so judge doneness by their deep brown colour, not by how hard they feel in the pan.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb roasted unsalted groundnutsskins rubbed off
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp warm wateradded a few drops at a time
- 1 ¼ cups groundnut oilfor frying, plus the oil pressed from the paste
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Grind 1 ⅛ lb roasted unsalted groundnuts with 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp cayenne pepper and ¾ tsp salt in a food processor for 3–5 minutes, scraping down, until it becomes a thick, oily paste.
5 minStep 2: Tip the paste into a bowl and knead and squeeze it hard with one hand, adding a few drops of 3 tbsp warm water now and then. Oil will start to seep out; pour it into a cup as it collects.
5 minStep 3: Keep kneading and pouring off oil for 15–20 minutes, until the paste is pale, firm and crumbly-dry, and no more oil comes out when you squeeze. This is the step that stops them falling apart.
20 minStep 4: Pinch off pieces and roll into thin ropes about 1 cm thick and 10 cm long. Join the ends into rings or leave as sticks. Press any cracks closed.
15 minStep 5: Pour the pressed-out oil and enough 1 ¼ cups groundnut oil into a deep pan to come 3 cm up the side. Heat over a medium heat to 325°F, until a piece of paste sizzles gently.
5 minStep 6: Fry in batches for 5–7 minutes, turning, until deep brown all over. Lift out onto paper towels.
20 minStep 7: Leave to cool completely, when they turn crunchy. Store in an airtight tin for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kuli-kuli (crisp groundnut rings) take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ground ginger?
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger per ¼ tsp ground.
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