If you are not in the mood to try any regular food, having snacks is a good way to satisfy your hunger. Snacks can also be consumed on the go because they require no preparation. If you get hungry on the road or in a situation where you can’t cook, snacks can be just what you need to satisfy your hunger.
1. Boli
This snack of roasted plantain has its origin from the riverine area of Nigeria. It is a favourite for so many people who cannot resist the taste of plantain. It is a seasonal snack, only available during the plantain season, which is towards the last few months of the year. But when it comes out, it is common to find stands in many streets and junctions with plantain roasting.
2. Dankwa
We owe this delightful ball of sweet goodness to our northern brothers. This snack’s main ingredients are millet and groundnut, but corn is also included. To enhance the flavour, pepper and sugar are also added. The balls are extremely soft and melt in your mouth. It is normal for you to detect a peppery flavour. Millets, groundnuts, and corn are ground to powder before being moulded into balls with water and a little oil. Eating dankwa provides the benefits of fat, carbohydrate, and fibre found in the groundnut, millet, and corn mixture.
3. Akara
Most people enjoy akara as healthy Nigerian breakfast or dinner, but this healthy snack can be enjoyed at any time of the day and anywhere. Akara is made from bean paste, which is then fried in hot oil. Onions and other spices are added to the paste to improve the taste. It can be eaten with bread or pap, or just alone. However you choose to consume it, you would always enjoy the fine taste of akara. Akara is highly rich in protein because of the main ingredient, which is beans.
4. Kuli-kuli
This is another crunchy snack from the Northern part of the county. Just like dankwa, kuli-kuli is also made from groundnut, and they are often sold in the same store or stand. Kuli-kuli often appears in long stripes, but it can also be made in any form. Kuli-kuli is made from roasted groundnuts. The groundnuts are then ground into a paste and mixed with spices to enhance the taste. The oil is squeezed out of the paste and is then used for other things. The paste is fried in hot oil. Little oil is used to fry kuli-kuli because the paste would continue to produce oil while frying. It is then left to cool then eaten.
5. Roasted Corn/Boiled Corn
Nigerians love roasted corn. When it is corn season, it is common to find Nigerians walking about work corn cobs between their teeth, digging away. The popularity of this snack is across the nation, and it is enjoyed by young and old. Corn is heated on a local grill until it has a rich brown colour. There is also boiled corn, which is corn that has been boiled in salted water till it is tender. It can be eaten with pear or just taken alone. Corn is a rich source of dietary fibre which aids digestion and bowel movement. It also contains carbohydrates, potassium, and other essential nutrients.
Roasted corn is also typically eaten with Nigerian pear (ube).
6 Nigerian Chin Chin
Chin Chin is another popular and affordable snack in Nigeria. It is a fried crispy snack, with a crunchy taste.
Chin Chin is a great Nigerian dessert and is also called dough rocks.
Nigerian Chin Chin is made from dough containing flour, sugar, butter, eggs or nutmeg, and milk. It is cut into small sizes in varying shapes and sizes and deep-fried in vegetable oil.
7 Plantain chips
Nigerians enjoy eating plantain chips, as it’s one of the yummiest snacks in the country. They are locally known as kpekere in Nigeria. Plantain chips are sliced, fried unripe plantains that are crispy, tasty, and crunchy. It can easily be made at home, and it also a very nutritious snack.