Kluiklui (Beninese Crunchy Peanut Sticks)
Local name: Klui-klui
In short: Roasted peanuts ground to a paste, pressed to remove oil, seasoned with chili and ginger, shaped into sticks and fried until crunchy. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 12 h
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 210 kcal
Kluiklui is a crunchy Beninese peanut snack. Roasted peanuts are ground into a paste, pressed to squeeze out part of the oil, then kneaded with spices, rolled into thin sticks with tapered ends and fried until crisp. It is sold in markets and shops and eaten at breakfast or in the afternoon, often with a spoonful of gari and a little sugar.
Instructions
- Grind the peanuts in a food processor for 6 to 8 minutes, scraping down the bowl often, until you have a smooth, runny paste. Scrape it into a bowl, cover and leave at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
- Pour off the oil that has risen to the top and save it. Wrap the paste in a clean cotton cloth, then twist and press hard over a bowl to squeeze out as much more oil as you can.
- Knead the pressed paste with the salt, ginger, cayenne and black pepper. Work in the warm water a spoonful at a time until you have a firm dough that holds a shape without cracking.
- Break off pieces the size of a small walnut and roll each into a stick about 8 cm (3 inches) long and 1 cm (1/2 inch) thick, tapering both ends. Set the sticks on a tray.
- Heat the frying oil, with the saved peanut oil added, in a small deep pot to 170°C (340°F). Fry the sticks in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown.
- Lift the sticks out with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Let them cool completely, about 20 minutes, so they turn crisp.
Tips
- Press out as much oil as you can before shaping. A paste that is too oily falls apart in the pot and gives greasy sticks.
- Fry one test stick first. If it cracks, knead a spoonful more warm water into the dough, and if the center is soft, fry the rest for a minute longer.
Questions and answers
What is kluiklui?
Kluiklui is a Beninese snack made from roasted peanut paste that is pressed to remove some of the oil, seasoned, shaped into sticks and fried. The texture is dry and crunchy, and the flavor is strongly of peanuts and spice.
How do people eat kluiklui?
On its own as a snack, or at breakfast and in the afternoon with gari, the toasted cassava granules, sprinkled with sugar. Some people add lemon juice or coconut to the gari.
How long does kluiklui keep?
In an airtight container at room temperature it stays crisp for about a week. If it softens, warm it in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 8 minutes and let it cool.
How long does it take to make Kluiklui (Beninese Crunchy Peanut Sticks)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kluiklui (Beninese Crunchy Peanut Sticks)?
About 210 kcal per serving, with 13 g of protein, 8 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 210 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 290 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
