Puff Puff | Easy Vegan Nigerian Snack

Puff puff is a deep fried Nigerian snack. Crunchy on the outside, pillow-soft on the inside. As if it couldn't get any better, it's also very easy to make. I like it as an occasional treat and it's also great to serve at parties. Kids and adults alike will love it!

Ingredients 

(serves 6)

- 1 cup plain white flour (or whole-wheat flour)

- 1 cup warm water

- 1 tsp dry yeast

- 4 tbsp unrefined brown sugar

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

- 2-3 cups vegetable oil 

Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and mix well. 

Add the water to form a sticky, stretchy batter. Cover the bowl with a clean napkin and leave in a warm area to rise for 1 hour. 

After an hour, the batter should be bubbly and double in size. Mix well to knock out some of the air.

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large frying pan. To test the temperature, add a spoonful of the mixture. Once it turns golden brown, the oil is hot enough.

Start adding spoonfuls of the batter to the oil and avoid overcrowding the fryer/pan. The traditional way is actually to use your hands to scoop the mixture in, forming round ball shapes. Give it a go! It took me a while to master the technique and my first few attempts looked more like disfigured ping-pong balls than anything else, but I got there in the end.

Once the puff puff is golden brown on all sides, drain on some kitchen paper. 

Done!

WARM VEGETABLE SOUP WITH QUINOA

Sometimes you just want something warm and comforting. This one-pot dish is indulgent, packed full of warming flavours and entirely guilt-free!

Ingredients

- 6 cups of vegetable stock

- 3 sweet potatoes (chopped into bite-size pieces)

- 1 cup of roughly chopped spinach

- 4 carrots (chopped)

- 1 cup of broccoli 

- 1 cup of cauliflower

- 1 cup of green beans

- 1 cup of chopped tomatoes

- 250g quinoa

- 1 tbsp sunflower oil

- 1 tsp mixed spice

- Salt to taste

Place all the ingredients in a large cooking pot and simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes. 

Leftovers can be stored in the freezer. 

NIGERIAN FRIED RICE

Cast your eye over the buffet table at any Nigerian party/gathering and you are bound to find a fried rice option (usually next to the jollof rice). Why wait until you're at a party though? Here is a fool-proof recipe that tastes so good you'll want to eat it everyday!

Ingredients

(serves 4)

- 2 cups of brown rice

- 4-5 cups of vegetable stock

- 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped)

- 2 medium carrots (finely chopped)

- 1 small red bell pepper (chopped)

- 1 small green bell pepper (chopped)

- 1 small red onion (finely chopped)

- 1/4 cucumber (thinly sliced)

- 1/4 cup red cabbage (chopped)

- 1 tbsp crushed garlic

- 3 cloves of garlic

- 2 tbsp sunflower oil

- Salt to taste

Cook the rice in the vegetable stock until soft and all the water has evaporated.

In a separate pan, saute the chopped vegetables in oil for a few minutes, adding the crushed garlic and ginger half-way through. You can cook the vegetables until they are soft but if you'd like a bit of a bite, cook for less time. 

Stir the sauteed vegetables into the pot of rice and season with salt. 

This recipe is ridiculously easy and one of my personal favourites. I use brown rice in this dish but basmati/long-grain work just as well.

SPICY BROWN BEAN BURGERS

It seems a little odd to start this blog off with a burger recipe. After all, burgers are American aren't they? Are burgers even that popular in Nigeria? Well, here's the thing. When I made the decision to become vegan (and cold turkey at that!) I immediately lamented the many meals that I could no longer indulge in. Sure, my resolve was pretty strong and I knew I wouldn't be deprived with the array of great plant-based meals out there, but still...burgers...
So, with that in mind, I set out first and foremost to create a stellar burger recipe that not only put the meat-based one to shame but was also packed full of the flavours that I know and love. The result? A bean burger mix with a spicy Nigerian twist ;)

Ingredients

(serves 4)

- 2 cups of brown beans

- 4-6 cups of water

- Salt to taste

- 1 small onion

- 1 medium tomato (chopped finely)

- I clove of garlic (chopped finely) 

- 1 tbsp crushed ginger

- 1 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp curry powder

- 4 tbsp plain/brown rice flour 

- 2 tbsp of sunflower oil 

Cook the beans in salted water over a low heat until the beans are well softened and the water has evaporated a little. Keep checking to make sure the water doesn't dry out before the beans get soft and add more as necessary. 

When the beans have cooled a little, place in a food processor and blend until smooth. 

In a large mixing bowl, add the beans and other ingredients making sure the mixture is well combined to form a sticky dough. Shape into burger patties and set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the burger patties, preferably two at a time, depending on the size of the frying pan.

Cook the burgers on both sides until well-browned and piping hot. 

Serve on a wholewheat bun with all your favourite burger fillings - lettuce, tomatoes, pickle, ketchup etc. This mixture freezes extremely well so you can make a large batch and store away for days when you want something quick and easy!