Small Chops

Kuli-kuli (Pressed Groundnut Crisps)

Name: Kuli-kuli (Pressed Groundnut Crisps)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Nigerian
Ingredients: 500 g roasted unsalted groundnuts (peeled; fresh, not rancid or mouldy); 1.5 tsp ground ginger; 0.5 tsp ground dried chilli; 0.5 tsp salt; 100 ml warm water (add gradually; may not all be needed); 600 ml groundnut oil (for frying; not all absorbed)

Crisp spiced groundnut sticks made by kneading and pressing roasted peanut paste before frying. Kuli-kuli turns roasted groundnuts into a firm, crunchy snack through an important intermediate step: extracting much of their oil. Ahmed Ogundimu remembers the snack with cold soaked garri after school in Nigeria. Ghanaian cook Nanaaba also demonstrates the oil-extraction technique and describes using the finished crisps in suya seasoning. The regional circulation is part of the food’s present-day story. These small sticks use ginger and chilli for warmth, with no potash and no claim that one seasoning combination is universal. Cultural context: A widely shared Nigerian groundnut snack. This entry does not assign exclusive invention to one people; named sources document its Nigerian use and cross-border preparation.

45 minPreparation

40 minCooking

8Servings

Allow 30 additional minutes for resting / soaking. Total: 115 minutes.

What you’ll need

8 servings

500 g roasted unsalted groundnutspeeled; fresh, not rancid or mouldy
1.5 tsp ground ginger
0.5 tsp ground dried chilli
0.5 tsp salt
100 ml warm wateradd gradually; may not all be needed
600 ml groundnut oilfor frying; not all absorbed

Let’s get cooking

1
Process groundnuts to a smooth paste, pausing to scrape down and avoid overheating the machine. Transfer to a sturdy bowl.
2
Knead in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue working the paste for 10–15 minutes until oil separates. Pour off oil as it appears; the solids should become much firmer.
3
Put the solids in clean strong muslin and squeeze firmly. Press under a clean plate and moderate weight for 30 minutes, collecting the released oil. Do not pour water into the later frying pan.
4
Knead ginger, chilli and salt into the pressed paste. If it crumbles, use only a teaspoon of water at a time until it holds together. Shape thin 5 cm sticks, about 1 cm thick.
5
Heat frying oil to approximately 165–170°C in a deep stable pan, no more than half full. Fry one test stick first for 6–8 minutes. If it falls apart, press more oil from the remaining paste before proceeding.
6
Fry in small batches, turning gently, until evenly golden and crisp after a sample has cooled. Drain on a rack and cool fully before storing airtight. Use within a few days, or freeze for longer keeping.

A little kitchen wisdom

Oil extraction, not extra flour, creates the characteristic firm texture. Never taste questionable peanuts: visible mould or a rancid smell means discard the batch. The 40-minute cooking allowance includes heating oil and several small frying batches. Timing estimate: active preparation 45 min; cooking 40 min; additional passive time 30 min; conservative planning allowance 115 min. Some stages may overlap. Recipe status: Research formulation; not kitchen-tested. Allergen checks: Peanut

Recipe notes & sources

Research formulation; not kitchen-tested

Also known as: Kulikuli, Kulinkuli

A widely shared Nigerian groundnut snack. This entry does not assign exclusive invention to one people; named sources document its Nigerian use and cross-border preparation.

Allergens: Peanut

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Kuli-kuli (Pressed Groundnut Crisps)

45 minPreparation

40 minCooking

8Servings

Allow 30 additional minutes for resting / soaking. Total: 115 minutes.

What you’ll need

8 servings

500 g roasted unsalted groundnutspeeled; fresh, not rancid or mouldy

1.5 tsp ground ginger

0.5 tsp ground dried chilli

0.5 tsp salt

100 ml warm wateradd gradually; may not all be needed

600 ml groundnut oilfor frying; not all absorbed

Let’s get cooking

Process groundnuts to a smooth paste, pausing to scrape down and avoid overheating the machine. Transfer to a sturdy bowl.

Knead in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue working the paste for 10–15 minutes until oil separates. Pour off oil as it appears; the solids should become much firmer.

Put the solids in clean strong muslin and squeeze firmly. Press under a clean plate and moderate weight for 30 minutes, collecting the released oil. Do not pour water into the later frying pan.

Knead ginger, chilli and salt into the pressed paste. If it crumbles, use only a teaspoon of water at a time until it holds together. Shape thin 5 cm sticks, about 1 cm thick.

Heat frying oil to approximately 165–170°C in a deep stable pan, no more than half full. Fry one test stick first for 6–8 minutes. If it falls apart, press more oil from the remaining paste before proceeding.

Fry in small batches, turning gently, until evenly golden and crisp after a sample has cooled. Drain on a rack and cool fully before storing airtight. Use within a few days, or freeze for longer keeping.