Nigerian Puff Puff

Servings

4-6

Prep Time:

1 hr

Cook Time:

17 mins

Ingredients

1 ½ cups of flour (all-purpose flour)
⅓ cup of granulated white Sugar
1 ½ tsp powdered/dry baking yeast OR 8g fresh yeast
⅓ cup of Sugar (caster sugar/confectioner’s sugar also called powdered sugar)
¾ tsp of ground Nutmeg
About 1 ½ cups of lukewarm water (more or less, until you get the right consistency)
⅓ or less tsp of salt
Vegetable Oil (for frying the batter)

Directions

If you are using fresh yeast, dissolve in little warm water in the bowl and set aside. Pour flour into a big bowl, add the ground nutmeg, sugar, salt and the dry yeast (or fresh yeast mixture) and mix together. Then, add some water, bit by bit and mix thoroughly. Mix for about 10 minutes or until there are no lumps in it, and the batter is smooth, but it should not be watery.

Cover the bowl (airtight) with a clean dry cloth or aluminum foil and leave it to rise for about 45 to 50 minutes. To know if the batter is ready for frying, it will double in size and you will notice some air bubbles on it.

Pour some oil in a deep fryer and heat it up; once, hot up enough for frying drop a small batter into the oil, when the oil is ready the puff puff floats atop.

Then, start scooping the batter with a deep spoon and drop into the oil until there is enough in the oil.

Fry until golden brown, transfer onto a sieve (napkin), lined with paper towels (serviettes). Allow to cool before serving.

Tips:

You can double or reduce the quantity of all the ingredients to suit your need.

Puff puff is usually mixed by hand, but you can also mix with a flat wooden spoon.

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Nigerian Meat Pie

Servings

4-8

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

35-40 mins

Ingredients

Meat Filling:

1 ¼ cups of minced meat (ground beef)
1 medium sized onion
½ tsp garlic powder
3 medium-sized carrots and ½ cup of fresh peas (or 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables of carrot, corn & peas)
2 medium-sized Irish potatoes (optional)
¼ cup OR 1 large cook spoon of vegetable Oil
Seasoning of choice (bouillon cubes, magi, Knorr cubes)
1 tsp of thyme
1 tsp of curry
2 tbsp of all-purpose flour (for thickening)
1 cup or 200 ml of cold water (add more as needed)
Salt (add as desired)

Dough:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cup of Margarine
1 tsp of baking powder
Salt (a pinch)
1 egg
¼ cup of cold water (or as needed to get a stiff dough)

Directions

Filling:

Grind or mince the meat, (if the meat doesn’t come minced). Chop or mince the onions and set aside. Wash the carrots, peel the Irish potatoes, rinse them and cut into very tiny cubes.

Pour the oil into a sauce pan, heat to medium heat, add the chopped onions and garlic (garlic is optional), stir fry a bit, add the minced meat and stir thoroughly till the meat is light brown.

Then, add ½ a cup of water to it, curry and thyme. Cover the pan and leave to boil for about 10 minutes, add the vegetables, a pinch of salt, lower the temperature to low heat. Mix the plain flour in ½ cup of cold water thoroughly in a small bowl, then add to the mixture to the meat, stir properly so that they can all mix together. Put off the heat and leave to cool.

Pie:

Break the egg, beat it and set aside.

Grease tray for baking with little margarine or oil (helps to prevent the Pies from burning, baking sheets can be used as well).

Pour the flour into a big bowl, add baking powder and a pinch of salt, then mix thoroughly, add the margarine (melted margarine is easier for mixing) and mix well until the mixture looks more like breadcrumbs.

Add a bit of water gradually and keep on mixing until you get a stiff dough. Knead the dough until smooth and leave for 5 minutes, then place on a lightly floured surface.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough on the floured table, it shouldn’t be too flat or too thick. Use a round cutter, cut into circles (You can use any clean round spoons in the kitchen to cut them as well).

Remove the excess dough, and then scoop some of the meat pie filling at the center of the circular cut dough. Don’t add a lot of the fillings, so that your pies won't look bumpy at the top.

Join the two ends together to form a semicircle. Use a fork to press the edges tight to give the pie a pretty design, transfer unto the greased tray and repeat this process for the remaining ones.

After all the pies are folded, rub the whisked egg on the surface of the pies. The egg helps to give the pies a golden color. Transfer them to the baking pan. Preheat the oven at oven at 335°F or 170°C.

Place the meat pies in the preheated oven and leave to bake for 35 minutes or until they are lightly brown. You can check from time to time, if you are not sure of the temperature of your oven.

The Nigerian meat pies are ready when they are lightly brown. Enjoy the pies with soda, beer or drink of choice!

Tips:

Always preheat the oven before baking.

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Nigerian Chicken Pie

Servings

10

Prep Time:

40 mins

Cook Time:

45 mins

Ingredients

Chicken Pie Filling:

½lb of minced chicken
1 medium-sized onion bulb
½ tsp of garlic powder (optional)
2 medium-sized carrots
2 medium-sized Irish potatoes
¼ cup or 1 large cook spoon of vegetable Oil
½ tsp of thyme
½ tsp of curry
Seasoning (additional seasoning of choice: bouillon cubes, Maggi or Knorr cubes)
1 ½ tbsp of plain flour
200ml of cold/iced water or less than that
Salt (a pinch or as desired)

Dough:

1 ¾ cups or 400g of flour
1 tsp of baking powder
¾ tsp of salt
1 cup or 250g of margarine

Directions

Chicken Filling:

Grind or mince the chicken (if you are not getting the minced chicken from the grocery store).

Put the minced chicken into a saucepan, warm/simmer on medium heat, cook for 10 mins, add salt to taste, leave to cook. Then peel the potatoes, scape the skin of the carrots and cut them into cubes.

Heat up the oil on medium heat. Then, add the chopped onions and stir while frying a bit; add the minced chicken, the mixed vegetables, stir thoroughly.

Now, add a bit of water, curry and thyme, cover the pan and leave to cook a bit. Then set aside.

Pie:

Pour the 1 ¾ cups of flour into a big bowl, add 1teaspoon (tsp) of baking powder and a pinch of salt, then mix well. Add the margarine and mix thoroughly until the mixture looks more like breadcrumbs.

Then, add just a little cold water, bit by bit, and keep on mixing until you get a stiff dough.

Preheat the oven at 335°F or 170°C and continue, then whisk the egg and set aside.

Knead the dough and leave for 5 minutes, then place on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough, it shouldn’t be too flat or too thick.

Cut the dough into squares or rectangles with a square or rectangle cutter one at a time, then using a tablespoon (tbsp), scoop some of the fillings into the center of the square or rectangular dough cutout. Don’t add a lot of fillings, so that the pie won’t be bumpy at the top.

Fold one side of the square or rectangular dough to join the other side. Use a fork to press the edges tight. You can also make tiny holes at the top. This also forms a pretty design.

Now, transfer into the greased tray and repeat this process for the remaining dough.

Rub the whisked egg on the surface of the pies, it helps to make the pies to be golden brown and also, not to be dried or burnt.

Place the pies in the preheated oven and leave to bake for 36 minutes or until lightly brown.

Enjoy the pies with soda, beer or drink of choice!

Tips:

Always check the heating capacity because it differs from oven to oven.

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Nigerian Fish Rolls

Servings

10

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

18 mins

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of margarine
1 raw egg
1 tsp of baking powder
½ tsp of salt
1 cup of water (or enough to get a smooth, firm dough)
Fresh mackerel fish
½ tsp of each seasonings, (thyme, garlic)
Chicken cube
½ tsp of black pepper
Vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions

Wash and debone the fish, season with a little salt, thyme, chicken cube, and boil lightly, then transfer to a small bowl add black pepper and mash together with a mash with a fork or spoon thoroughly.

In a bowl, pour the flour, add salt, baking powder and mix, add the margarine. Then, in another bowl, mix in the beaten egg, add to the dry ingredients, mix thoroughly, add water drop by drop and knead the dough until you get a smooth but firm dough.

Then, place the dough on a floured surface (flat board or a table), cut out a bit, using a rolling pin, roll out the small dough until it is flat, then make it into a rectangular shape.

Then, add the mashed fish, use your right palm to fold, roll the dough. Keep rolling it until you get the length you desire.

Heat the oil until hot (not smoking hot) in a deep fryer, fry the fish rolls on a low to medium heat until they are crispy and brown.

Remove from oil into drainer or paper napkin lined pan to drain up the oil and transfer into a flat large plate.

Enjoy the delicious rolls with drink of choice!

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Nigerian Buns

Servings

10

Prep Time:

25 mins

Cook Time:

20 mins

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour
¼ cup of sugar
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of salt (as desired)
150 ml of milk or water (or as needed)
1 tbsp of margarine (at room temp)

Directions

In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, then mix. Add margarine, mix thoroughly, then add the milk or water. Mix thoroughly until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Now cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Heat up the oil in a deep fryer until moderately hot (the oil should not be smoking hot or the buns will get brown quickly without being cooked on the inside).

Scoop the batter, mold into round balls and drop into the hot oil.

Fry on medium heat for about 20 minutes, so that the inside can cook at the same rate as the outside of the buns.

To fry the next batch, reduce the heat, because the oil is going to be too hot after the first batch. Then, repeat the process of dropping the rounded balls into the hot oil.

The buns are ready when they are golden brown.

Enjoy with your drink of choice or ice cream!

Tips:

If you want your buns to come out round and perfect, you have to make a thicker batter, so that you will be able to mold the batter into balls.

When you drop the batter, it should sink to the bottom of the pot or pan, also wait a few seconds, tilt it a bit with your spatula or spoon.

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Nigerian Samosa

Servings

25

Prep Time:

35 mins

Cook Time:

25 mins

Ingredients

Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour (plain white flour)
4 tbsp of vegetable oil or melted margarine
½ tsp of dry parsley
½ tsp of thyme
½ tsp of salt
Warm water (as needed)

Filling:

1 ¼ cups or 300g of minced beef/chicken
2 medium Irish potatoes
2 medium carrots(optional)
½ to ¾ cups of green peas
1 long stalk of spring onion or minced onion
½ tsp of garlic
A pinch of black pepper (optional)
1 stock cube
¾ cups OR 3 cooking spoon of vegetable oil
Cayenne/Chili pepper (add as desired)
Salt (add as desired)
Vegetable oil (used for deep-frying the Samosas)

Tips: Samosas can also be baked, so skip the vegetable oil for frying, if preferred.

Directions

Filling:

Slice the spring onions into thin circles and set aside. Wash and peel the Irish potatoes, drop into a small pot, add some water, add salt to taste and boil for some mins until it is partially cooked, then drain the water away and set aside.

Then, wash the carrots, cut into cubes if you are not using mixed vegetables. Chop some onions, heat up the oil in a saucepan, fry the onion a bit, add the spices, add the carrots, peas and potatoes, sprinkle salt to taste then stir and fry for 12 mins. Leave to cool.

Samosa:

Pour the flour into a bowl, add a bit of salt, 4 tablespoons (tbsp) of vegetable oil and warm water. Mix the dough till stretchy. After 15 minutes, knead the dough until stretchy and elastic.

Then, lightly flour the clean wooden chopper or a clean table top, cut a small piece of the flour, roll it out with a rolling pin. Make sure it’s not so thin, should be about 3-4 mm in thickness.

Using a round cutter, cut the rolled dough, fold into 2 equal parts, join one end to the other diagonally to make a cone, remove the excess dough.

Scoop in some of the mixed fillings. Don’t over fill it because it will be bumpy. Rub some water at the edges and seal tightly. Repeat this process for the remaining dough.

Heat up some oil until moderately hot and fry the Samosas in it. Fry both sides of the Samosa until lightly brown.

Transfer into a sieve (napkin) lined with paper towels, allow to cool.

It’s ready to serve. Enjoy!

Tips:

When you are baking the samosa, brush with oil or the whisked egg, set your oven to 180º C or 350°F and bake for18 minutes.

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Chicken Shawarma Sandwich

Servings

4-8

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

25 mins

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (boneless or deboned)
Chicken thighs
Small size cabbage (cut into thin strips)
½ medium sized carrots (grated or cut into thin strips)
½ large cucumber (cut into thin slices)
2 big tomatoes (cut into thin slices)
1 medium sized onion bulb (cut into thin slices)
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
1 tbsp of vegetable /olive oil (for stir frying)
1 tsp of thyme
1 tsp of curry powder
1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of garlic powder or 2 tsp of minced garlic
1 large chicken stock cube/bouillon cube (crushed)
½ tsp of black pepper
Chili pepper (add as desired)
Salt (add if needed because the stock cube contains salt)
4-8 large pita or tortilla wraps

Directions

Wash the vegetables, cut into thin slices. Also, cut the chicken into cubes, season with some salt and spices, set aside.

Heat up a tablespoon (tbsp) of oil in a pan, add chicken, stir fry until juicy and golden brown, put into a plate and set aside.

On a clean plate pour some mayonnaise and ketchup together (known as mayo-ketch'' spread).

Place the bread on a clean flat surface and cut into two equal sizes (when you are using a large pita bread).

If you are using flat bread or tortilla wraps, just spread the 'mayo-ketch'’ on it, fill one end with the sliced vegetables and sprinkle some chili pepper (optional) and serve!

Tip:

A combination of Chicken thighs and the breast is good because the fat from the thighs adds extra flavor to the meat.

If you want to warm up the bread a bit, place on a heated pan or grill for 25+ minutes, you can use a microwave or sandwich maker as well.

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Nigerian Sausage Rolls

Servings

4-6

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

35 mins

Ingredients

1 ½ cups or 375g of all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp of baking powder
½ cup or 150g of margarine or butter
½ tsp of salt
Iced cold/cool water (as needed)
2 medium-sized eggs (for coating the rolls)
1 ¼ cup or 300g of minced/ground sausage meat
½ tsp of black pepper
½ tsp of ground nutmeg
1 stock cube or 2 tsp stock powder

Directions

Grind the sausage meat (if you are not getting the mined one from the grocery store), add nutmeg, black pepper and crumbled stock cube/powder. Mix thoroughly to get all the spices in, set aside. Grease the baking pan with some oil or oil spray.

Pour the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then mix all together thoroughly, add the margarine or melted butter, knead the margarine into the flour; continue mixing until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

Then, add small water, bit by bit, until you get a non-sticky smooth dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface (board) and knead for 5 minutes.

Cut out a bit of the dough, using a rolling pin, roll flat. Use a clean cutter to cut out the dough to form a rectangular shape and then scoop some of the spiced sausage meat on the dough and fold.

Bake in the Oven at 170º C or 375º F for 35 minutes or until they are lightly brown. Serve with drink of choice!

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