Dodo Chips
They say everyone loves chocolate but in Nigeria it would have to be Dodo or am I wrong? Is it Hotel Chocolat or Cadbury’s this Christmas?
Although If I needed a snack back home I would not be looking to fry some plantain first. I’d probably head to Aboki (small tuck shop) and pick a few packets of Okin but how boring!
Shortly before I left home, my mum created a special bucket full of all sorts of good old Naija (the Nigerian way to say Nigerian) snacks.
It would regularly have chin chin, Dodo chips aka ikpekere, Dodo sticks aka Dodo kindo, chook chook, coconut candy, candy nut, sweet KoKoro (which I hate), Ofio or Ginger Nut (not my favourite either), roasted groundnut and coconut balls.
Puff Puff
I used to love when she’d come home with a cooler full of hot puff-puff from Lagos Island especially in the morning. There was nothing quite like hot puff puff sprinkled with sugar and a cold glass of Milo on a hot Saturday morning.
Anyway, I don’t think any of those snacks are in the same category as chocolate. Now, I would hate myself for sitting down to guzzle a box of chocolates in front of the TV when I could have sold it and even in the past I would have felt gross.
However, sitting down with a bag of chin chin or Dodo chips watching a really good Naija movie like Violated would make me feel really in my element.
Be sure to share what your favourite Naija snack is before you click away. And don’t worry if it’s a large mug of cold gari full of roasted groundnut or fried yam and Dodo with fish sauce from Anthony Village. I’m sure you’ll be in good company with those of us who like roasted yam on Modakeke-Ife road.
Also, please visit again as I will be experimenting with if Chin Chin can be baked as opposed to fried. I’ve already succeeded with grilling Dodo and not deep frying. Just wanted you to know before you crucify me for sprinkling sugar on puff puff.