Chin Chin
What a name, don’t you think? Chin Chin is a fried West African snack, often offered to guests or as a party favour – it's always a hit with kids as well. I find, if you say it so many times it makes you giggle. As a kid, when my mother taught me how to make it, each time she said it we would all laugh. I would always ask “why must we say it twice? It sounds funny!” Well, any snack that puts a smile on your face must be a tasty one.
Chin chin dough typically contains flour, sugar, butter, milk and eggs. However, this veganised recipe omits the eggs and opts for plant milk over dairy. Chin chin is soft & almost crumbly on the inside, yet crunchy on the outside; these two textures when combined with a sweet, buttery flavour can be irresistible!
A very important tip:
Ensure your oil is hot enough before you fry. The oil needs to be 180c degrees for a successful fry, if it isn't hot enough, the dough will soak up a lot of the oil and leave your chin chin with a soggy texture - which nobody wants!
Do not overcrowd your pan when frying. Overcrowding lowers the temperature of oil, which can also make for a soggy texture.
Vegan | Nut free
Servings: 10 snack size portions
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes plus cooling
Ingredients
Stage 1
300g plain flour
50g golden caster sugar
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
Stage 2
2 tbsp sunflower oil
100g milk
50g butter – melted
Stage 3
2L vegetable oil for frying
Method
Mix stage 1 together in a bowl, ensuring all ingredients are thoroughly combined, then create a well in the middle of the bowl.
In a separate bowl combine stage 2 ingredients.
Place the wet mixture into the dry mix “well” and slowly combine until the mixture forms a shaggy dough.
Place the dough on a flat, floured surface and knead for approx. 5 minutes, by which point the dough should be firm but soft. Place in a large bowl and cover with cling film, leave to rest for 10 minutes (this helps develops the gluten which makes it easier during the cutting process).
Unwrap the rested dough and divide into 2 portions. Roll the dough out into a thin sheet of about 1/6 to 1/4 inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut dough vertically then horizontally to form long rectangles.
Preheat the oil to 180c degrees in a large wok or pan and deep fry the chin chin until golden brown, approx. 2-3 minutes (if you don’t have a thermometer, heat up the oil and drop in a couple of pieces of dough, if the dough rises up to the surface quickly the oil is hot enough). Ensure not to over crowd the pan and be careful dropping the dough into the hot oil.
Remove from the pan using a spider/slotted spoon, placing the chin chin on kitchen towel or a clean, dry tea towel to soak up excess oil and allow to cool completely before serving. Chin chin will be soft when hot and hardens as it cools.
Store in a container and leave in a cool dry area for up to 7 days.