Nigeria is a country popular for its diversity in culture with over 350 ethnic groups living together as an entity. Each of these groups has its own native cuisines and of course within which are snacks that may serve as appetizers and comfort food on days.
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The best part of these snacks is not only about the varieties in cultural origins but on the nutrient and safety of consumption. All of these snacks are mostly made from purely natural ingredients and wholly organic plants themselves unlike the other types from colonial roots composed of highly processed ingredients and calories.
Kuli Kuli
Taste AtlasKuli-kuli is a very hard crunchy snack made mainly of roasted peanuts. Originating from the Northern parts of Nigeria, Kuli-kuli is prepared from crushed peanuts, made into a semi-paste and fried until hard and dry. Eating this particular snack requires strong and healthy teeth. It can be eaten with soaked garri (cassava flakes) or alone.
Wara
The Guardian NGWara(Milk curds) is also known as Nigerian cheese. Made of animal or soya milk and a little quantity of a herbal leaf that causes the milk to curdle. It can be eaten raw or fried. It has to be consumed on each day of its production because of its short shelf life.
Cashew nut
Healthline
Cashew nut, as its name implies, is a nut extracted from cashew seeds. They are very great for controlling heart-related diseases, eye problems and high blood pressure.
Kokoro
Recipes By Dolapo GreyKokoro refers to a crunchy snack made from corn flour. They are either brown rod-shaped or white and circular. They are sold by hawkers on the main roads rather than in stores. Ginger, pepper and salt are the secondary ingredients that make up corn-based snacks.
Boiled/roasted corn
Pinterest
Boiled or roasted corn is a seasonal snack, mostly sold in the rainy season. It is a popular snack and a healthy one as its method of preparation maintains whatever nutrients inherent in the grain.
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Dankwa
The Vegan NigerianDankwa is a Northern-Nigerian Street snack made from roasted, dried millet and groundnuts. Sugar, pepper, and tiger nut powder can be added to enhance the taste depending on locality.
Boli
Roasted plantain called Boli in Southwestern Nigeria and Bole in the South-south. It can be eaten with groundnut, fish/meat stew and roasted yam. It is a very filling meal and takes a long haul almost throughout the day.
Tiger nuts
HealthlineTiger nuts also popularly known as ofio is a Northern snack. They can be in the fresh wet form or dried. Tiger nuts can be blended with dates and coconut to make up a juice.
Akara
The Guardian NGAkara is popularly known as the Nigerian bean cake. It is a known southwestern snack made with fried roasted bean paste. Akara can be eaten fried sweet potatoes, yam and fish stew. This snack can make a whole meal depending on the amount of bean cake balls purchased.
Kilishi/suya
All African Dishes
The popular Northern snack made with heavy spices and skewered meat. Kilishi is known as the dried form, suya, on the other hand, is the roasted one. While suya is the main sensation at night, kilishi can be consumed at any time of the day.
When it comes to snacks, you don’t need to go all foreign or get too concerned about hygiene to avoid these snacks. These days, there are more ways to process traditional snacks, making them readily available in clean stores. Many of these snacks are even exported to stores abroad with a larger market. When it comes to living and snacking healthy, the Nigerian roots is the healthy choice.
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