Nigerian Puff Puff
A slightly sweet deep fried dough / batter.
Equipment
- 1 Large bowl A Large bowl with cover
- 1 Large Pot / Wok / Pan
- 1 Spider Spoon or a frying spoon
- 1 Long Skewer
- Towel or Napkin (Optional if using a bowl with cover)
- Cling Film Optional (Optional if using a bowl with cover)
Ingredients
- 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 (3.5 TBSP is approximately 1/4 cup) (PLEASE, SEE NOTE 2 BELOW)
- 6-8 g Quick Rise Yeast (PLEASE, SEE NOTE 1 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
Instructions
- 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.
Video
Notes
NOTE 1:
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).
NOTE 2:
If your batter looks too thick, that is, when you grab some of it and then let go, it falls back to the bowl in big lumps then it is too thick. To lighten the batter, start by adding 1 tablespoon of Luke warm water at a time and mix.
Tip: Add a total of one 5th of your total water volume so your batter isn't too light. For our recipe above, it is 1/4 cup of water.
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).
NOTE 2:
If your batter looks too thick, that is, when you grab some of it and then let go, it falls back to the bowl in big lumps then it is too thick. To lighten the batter, start by adding 1 tablespoon of Luke warm water at a time and mix.
Tip: Add a total of one 5th of your total water volume so your batter isn't too light. For our recipe above, it is 1/4 cup of water.