Ah puff puff, where do I even start! I doubt there is a Nigerian who doesn’t know puff puff. Puff puff is the ultimate Nigerian snack. You will always find it in small chop pack, road side kiosk, street hawkers, food / snack store and even high end sophisticated restaurants.
What is Puff Puff?
Puff puff is a deep fried batter that has risen with the aide of a leavening agent. An authentic puff puff is made with yeast.
These days, some people use yogurt and other alternatives as their leavening agent. But I still prefer using yeast, the airiness and the softness you get from using yeast, I don’t think you can do a 1:1 comparison with another leavening agent. Oh the smell of yeast on flour – It is divine – mouthwatering.
Puff puff can be quite addictive, once you eat one, you will want to take a second and a third and a fourth.
Okay, back to puff puff – the best comparison I can make with puff puff is either a beignet or a doughnut but also, not quite the same. Puff puff is not quite like those because, puff puff batter can’t really be shaped as that of beignet or doughnut because of how wet it is.
It is the free form of every puff that makes it unique – almost every puff puff is different.
Puff puff is usually shaped by using your hand and free formed, this is why I don’t think puff puff making and that of doughnut or beignet are the same.
Essence of Puff Puff in the Nigerian Scene
As I stated in the intro, puff puff is commonly found in small chop packs – Let me explain, small chop packs are to-go bowls / boxes (Takeaway pack) or even sandwich size ziplock bags that contains some of Nigerian common snacks such as samosa, mosa, spring roll, peppered meat or fish and of course, puff puff. They are usually served in parties and gatherings.
Long before small chop packs, puff puff are sold in glass show case (commonly called “show glass”). These are most times multi layer glass show case with different snack been showcased such as Nigerian style: meat pies, egg rolls, buns (The recipe is similar to puff puff but without the yeast, so not as soft and airy as puff puff), beans pie, samosa, mosa, spring roll, puff puff, turkey cake (there is no turkey in it. it is just a very dense cake), doughnut, fish roll, fried fish, peppered meat, cakes, etc.
The Art of Making Puff Puff
There is a bit of a technique to forming the puff puff balls. Let me explain. Because puff puff batter is very wet, you will need to scoop the batter into your palm then close your palm tightly, forcing the batter to pop out through the hole between your thumb and your index finger. As the batter drops into the hot oil, it forms a round or oval shape and it keeps that shape.
Some people have become expert in making puff puff even with using your hand to freeform them, they all come out the same shape and size – I think it will take me years of practice to get to this expert level.
Frying puff puff using the hand method.
- Scoop some puff puff batter in your palm.
- Then close your palm.
- Turn your hand so the side your index finger and thumb are is facing the hot oil.
- Then relax those 2 fingers (index and thumb) a bit while squeezing the other 3 fingers so that the batter is forced to the top (the hole between the index finger and the thumb.)
- Once you have gotten the size you want the puff puff to be, tighten the index finger and the thumb into your palm so the batter fall off into the hot oil.
But there is good news – puff puff is very forgiving and does not require perfection.
You can either use your hand to form the puff puff or you can use an ice cream scoop – dipping it into hot oil after a couple of scoops so the batter doesn’t stick in the scoop.
Using an ice cream scoop with the release mechanism is better as that ensure the batter falls off into the hot oil with ease.
Serving Suggestions
Puff puff can be combine with either savoury or sweet.
Puff Puff can be eaten by itself or you can eat with any protein from fish to meat be it fried or stewed or even with a sweeter option like eating it with a dipping sauce such as chocolate dip, caramel dip, peanut butter.
You don’t need a special occasion to make puff puff. If you crave it, then make it.
Enough about that, let me go into the actual recipe.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did making it.
Try this recipe and leave me a comment letting me know what you think.
With Love, B!
Nigerian Puff Puff
A slightly sweet deep fried dough / batter.
- Large bowl
- Large Pot / Wok / Pan
- Spider Spoon
- Long Skewer
- Towel
- Cling Film
- 260 g All Purpose Flour (2 cups loosely filled)
- 80-100 g Sugar (⅓ to ½ cup)
- 220 ml Lukewarm Water (1 cup + 3.5 TBSP)
- 6-8 g Quick Rise Yeast (PLEASE, SEE NOTE BELOW) (2 to 2½ TSP or a sachet pack of 7g to 8g)
- 1 TSP Baking Powder
- ½ TSP Ground Nutmeg
- ½ TSP Salt
- Vegetable oil (Enough to Deep Fry )
In a big bowl (or a very large bowl with cover), add all the dry ingredients (AP Flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, nutmeg and salt) and mix until it is thoroughly combined.
Then slowly add the lukewarm water into the dry mixture and mix simultaneously until it forms a very wet sticky "thick" pancake like consistency. The consistency of this batter is thick and has a bit of stretch to it.
Cover the mixture with cling film then kitchen napkin/ towel or you can just cover with a napkin / towel. Or use the cover of the bowl to cover it
Then keep in a warm place for about 1 to 2 hours or until it rises / double in quantity.
After it has risen, use a spatula to mix the batter deflate / remove air bubbles from the batter.
In a large pot / wok / pan pour vegetable oil or any neutral oil – pour enough to deep fry. This should fill the pot / wok / pan about half way. Then place the pot/ wok / pan on medium heat and allow to heat up – until it is about 180 – 190 degree celsius.
Using either an ice cream scoop or your hand / finger (collect some batter in the palm of your hand and close your hand then squeeze your hand shut to force the batter to come out through the hole between your thumb and index fingering drops into the hot oil). scoop the mixture into the hot oil. Scoop about 5-7 dough balls into the oil at a time depending on how big the pot / wok / pan is – Don't overcrowd the pot / wok / pan so the temperature of the oil doesn't drop, otherwise the puff puff will absolve oil and become very greasy.
If you notice that as soon as the puff puff batter is dropping into the hot oil, it is getting very brown right away, the oil is too hot. Reduce the heat and remove the pan / pot / wok of oil from the heat and let it cool down a bit, then return it to the heat and continue frying the rest of the batter.
Once one side is golden brown, flip over using skewer or fork and let the other side to cook until golden brown.
Then remove the puff puff from the oil using spider spoon / strainer and place in a paper towel to drain off the excess oil / grease.
Continue to do the same process from step 7 to 9 until you have completely fried all the batter.
Enjoy hot or room temperature. You can also eat it alone or with sauce like pepper sauce, chocolate sauce, peanut sauce, caramel sauce, etc.
Quick Rise Yeast (Instant Yeast) doesn’t need to be activated in water separately – You can add it directly to your dry ingredients. Pictured below.
If you are using a Traditional Yeast (Yeast that has the slightly big pebbles – Yeast that needs to be activated in lukewarm water first (read the instructions on the yeast packet / bottle)). Pictured Below.
Activate the yeast in a lukewarm water first.
Using 1/2 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of sugar from the measurement above.
That means, remove / use 1/2 cup of water from the 1 cup + 2 TBSP which is the total quantity of water required for this recipe.
And remove / use 1 tablespoon of sugar from the ⅓ to ½ cup which is the total quantity of sugar required for this recipe.
Also, make sure the yeast hasn’t expired and it is still alive / active.
Image of both Traditional Yeast (Active Dry Yeast) & Quick-Rise Yeast (Instant Yeast).
