Image from My Active Kitchen
One thing we could agree on is that Nigeria is rich in culture, food, and storytelling. There are some Nigerian snacks you should try at least once in your life. It is hard to tell if Nigeria has authentic snacks considering the ridiculous amount of processed foods flying around the country now.
But not to worry, we have come up with a list of local Nigerian snacks worth trying. If you are a Millennial, we are about to take you back to the days of Ekana Gowon, Kuli Kuli, and Tasty Time. If you are category Gen-Z, this list has great snack options for you to try. It is interesting to note that some of the snacks are things we see every day around us and most of them are made from natural ingredients which are barely processed.
Dear Nigerian, try these snacks 😊
Akara: Akara is made from beans with extra ingredients like seasonings, pepper, etc. You can eat it alone or have it with bread and it becomes a local burger or as a meal with custard or Garri the Ijebu way. Either way, Akara is a lifesaver
Asala: Some people call this a Walnut. This is the mother of nuts, it is rich and high in protein and fiber. What else is there to ask for in a snack? Spoiler alert, people say when you take water after chewing Asala, it tastes like poverty. That’s just to scare you off the benefits. Try Asala today.
Boli: This snack has been saving lives since 1700. Boli, also known as roasted plantain, is a recognized street snack. It goes well with dry groundnuts; it can even pass for a Daniel fast-worthy meal. You can also have Boli with a well-smoked and barbecued fish, which is the style of Boli that went to Harvard but also very popular as a street snack in the Niger Delta where they spell what we call ‘Boli’ as ‘Bole’.
Beske: Beske is another snack that is Daniel fast-friendly as it is made from Soybeans. It is popular in the Northern part of Nigeria. You should try this.
Chin Chin: Who doesn’t know Chin Chin? It has been saving lives forever. It is made from flour, sugar, and butter. Additional ingredients like nutmeg, flavouring, etc. are also included in the process. If you look from east to west, south, and north, you will most likely find this snack. Have you ever tried it, let us know in the comment.
Dankuwa: This snack is made from cornmeal and groundnut. The highlight is how it melts in the mouth. You would most likely see people hawking this in the street of Lagos. It is worth trying.
Dodo Ikire: The name says it all. It is dodo (plantain from Ikire). It is seasoned and spiced in a special manner. It is made from overripe plantain and fried in palm oil.
Ekana Gowon: Also known as Ojokwu finger is popular amongst Nigerian Millennials. It is made from granulated sugar and was a good play snack back in the day. The good news is some online vendors still make and sell them. If you ever need to get a feel of old times, you will definitely find it.
Fura: Fura de nono is made from Millet and milk. It helps boost brainpower and serves other advantages to the body. You would most likely come across people who hawk them. It is advised that you get it from a neat vendor or shop.
Gurundi: Gurundi is a crispy coconut biscuit made with coconut, sugar, and cassava starch. It is a perfect work snack.
Kuli Kuli: This is the highlight of all the snacks. It is made from crushed groundnuts and can be eaten any day, anywhere. This snack is also popular in other African countries.
Kokoro: Kokoro egba is made from yam flour, cassava and sugar. It is perfect. It really is perfect.
Mosa: Plantain Mosa is made from over-ripe plantains, eggs, pepper, and spices. This is mostly homemade.
Ojojo: Ojojo is made from wet yam, pepper, and seasoning. It goes well with bread, eko, etc. You can also eat it alone. You would mostly see this in local markets.
Puff Puff: Puff puff? This snack received the award for best in saving lives in the year 2000. It is made from flour mix, similar to chin chin, but fried to come out soft and less crunchy. It reminds you of the good things in life. We think everyone should wake up and write a letter to the founder of puff puff daily.
Plantain chips: This snack is that snack you will find everywhere in traffic. It is made from plantain, as the name implies with extra ingredients like seasonings and pepper. This snack is worth it, very worth it.
image from abidec plaiz
Robo Alata: This snack is made from dried seed melon and perfected with pepper seasoning. This isn’t to blow the robo trumpet, but this is one of the best ever local snacks that exist.
Suya: It is forbidden to sell Suya at night. This rule has been included in a book of food 97. Suya is an adopted snack from the northern part of Nigeria. It is extracted from cow meat and seasoned in a special manner. It is recommended to have this with Garri (cassava flour).
Ube: Ube is a Nigerian pear; it could be confused with fruit because it grows from the ground and comes out a certain season of the year. But it also passes as a snack. It can be roasted or boiled. You can find it in the market.
What category are you in? Team Local Nigerian snacks or Team processed snacks? Tell us in the comment section below:
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