Kuli-kuli

Kuli-kuli is a crunchy snack made from roasted, ground peanuts, typical of Nigeria and much of West Africa. Its interest lies in its origin as a byproduct of peanut oil processing.

History

According to the sources, kuli-kuli originated with the Nupe people of central Nigeria. Over time it spread as a popular snack through Nigeria, Benin, northern Cameroon and Ghana, and today it is found far beyond the region.

It is made from roasted peanuts ground into a paste known as labu. The paste is mixed with spices, salt and sometimes ground pepper or sugar, shaped into balls or cylinders, and fried. Adding potash to the oil raises its boiling point and allows more oil to be extracted from the mixture. Once fried, the piece hardens as it cools and keeps for a long time.

Culture

Kuli-kuli is eaten on its own or with garri, cassava flakes, sugar and water, in what is popularly called garri soakings. It is also served with koko, fura or akamu, ground into salads, and used as an ingredient in suya spiced meat and kilishi. In northern Ghana, especially among the Dagbon people, it is made from the residue left after groundnut oil extraction, and it is mostly found in Zongo communities.

Production and sale are traditionally regarded as women's work: women grow the crop, extract the oil, cook the snack and take it to market. The income is often considered her own money. It is given to children as a treat and sold to travellers in taxi parks.