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Crunchy coconut milk chin chin

Chin chin are little crunchy fried dough bites, sweet and fragrant with nutmeg, the snack in a jar in every Nigerian home at Christmas. This version uses coconut milk, so it is egg free and dairy free.

AI-generated photograph: A small heap of golden crunchy chin chin squares in a shallow hand thrown dark stoneware bowl, a whole nutmeg and a fine grating of it beside them on a linen napkin
  • 45 minutes
  • Prep 25 minutes
  • Cook 20 minutes
  • Serves 8

Our own recipe. The photograph is AI-generated.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Dairy free

Ingredients

  • 300g plain flour, plus a little for dusting
  • 60g caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • A pinch of salt
  • Half a teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for the dough
  • 120ml coconut milk from a tin, shaken
  • About 750ml vegetable oil, for frying

Let's cook

  1. Mix the flour, sugar, nutmeg, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
  2. Add the 3 tablespoons of oil and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Pour in the coconut milk a little at a time, mixing with your hand, until it comes together as a firm, smooth dough that is not sticky. You may not need all of it. Knead for 1 minute.
  4. Cut the dough in half. On a lightly floured worktop, roll one half out to about 5mm thick. Cut it into strips 1cm wide, then across into small squares. Spread them out on a floured tray so they do not stick together. Repeat with the other half.
  5. Pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy pan so it is no more than a third full. Heat on a medium heat to 170C on a cooking thermometer, or until a piece of dough dropped in sizzles and rises to the top within a few seconds.
  6. Fry a handful at a time for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then with a slotted spoon, until evenly golden brown. They darken a little more as they cool, so lift them out when golden.
  7. Drain on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Let them cool completely: they go crunchy as they cool.

Tips

  • Never leave hot oil alone, keep children away from the pan and let the oil cool fully before moving it.
  • Fry in small batches. Too many at once cools the oil and makes chin chin greasy and soft.
  • Kept in an airtight jar, chin chin stays crunchy for 2 weeks.

Swaps

  • Classic style (no longer vegan): use 1 beaten egg, 40g butter and whole milk in place of the oil in the dough and the coconut milk.
  • Less sweet: cut the sugar to 40g.

Tags

In Plant powered, Weekend brunch and bakes.

Contains: Cereals containing gluten .

Gluten is the only one of the 14 allergens in this recipe, from the plain wheat flour. Coconut is not counted as a tree nut under UK rules.

Check every packet for allergens.

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