Nigerian Puff-Puff
At my last game-night potluck, I set out a warm bowl of puff-puff beside the chips, and somehow the bowl was empty before the first commercial break. I make these soft, golden bites with ginger,…
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 quarts vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, sugar, yeast, ginger, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt together in a large bowl. Mixing the spices into the dry ingredients first keeps the seasoning evenly distributed in every party bite.
- Pour in the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until a thick, stretchy, sticky batter forms. It should be softer than bread dough but sturdy enough to scoop; add 1 tablespoon of water if it feels dry.
- Cover the bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the batter rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled. For a party, you can make the batter earlier in the day and keep it covered at room temperature until frying.
- Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot and heat it to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set it beside the stove so each batch can drain quickly while you keep the next batch moving.
- Dip a tablespoon in water, scoop a rounded portion of batter, and gently slide it into the oil. Fry 6 to 8 puff-puff at a time, turning them often, for 3 to 5 minutes until evenly puffed and deep golden brown.
- Transfer the puff-puff to the lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining batter, keeping the oil near 350°F between batches. Serve warm in a wide bowl with cocktail napkins; the centers should be airy and tender, with a lightly crisp shell.
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