African cuisine, Cameroonian cuisine

Puff-Puff (Fried dough)

Puff-Puff (Fried dough)

Puff Puff is a highly favored street food originating from West Africa, known for its simplicity and versatility in preparation. It is irresistibly tasty and can become quite addictive.

During my childhood, I frequently observed with wonder as the women who sold the puffs skillfully scooped up the mixture using their fingertips, placed it in their palms, and then released it into the hot oil.

I found this process to be captivating and would return home to experiment with any available mixture. However, my results never matched the proportionality or visual appeal achieved by the women. After years of dedicated practice in adulthood, I can confidently assert that I have finally mastered the technique.

What Is Puff Puff?

The well-known street food Puff-Puff is recognized in various West African countries, with different names depending on the location. In Ghana, it is referred to as Bofrot (togbei), while Cameroonians and Nigerians know it as Puff-Puff (Puff) or beignet in French. The main ingredients include flour, sugar, yeast, water, salt, and oil for frying.

Rest assured that preparing these puff puffs is just as delightful as it is delicious. What makes this snack even better is that it requires only a few basic ingredients, which you may already have in your kitchen.

Serving Suggestions

  • Puff-puff is usually eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or as a side dish. Regardless of when you eat them, they are enjoyable with or without a side dish. A must-have for me – red beans.
  • The beauty of puff puffs is that you can eat them sweet or savory. They’re a great snack, appetizer, or dessert. I often eat it as a snack or appetizer. My son definitely loves it as a simple dessert with just a bit of powdered sugar
  • Prep Time1 hr 5 min
  • Cook Time15 min
  • Total Time1 hr 20 min
  • Serving Size10
  • Energy351,000 cal
  • Cuisine
    • Cameroonian
  • Course
    • Main Course

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (+1-2 tablespoons (475ml) warm water (See notes)
  • 2¼ teaspoon (7g) active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 3½ cups (420g) flour
  • ½-¾ cup (100-150g) sugar
  • ½ tablespoon (8-9g) salt
  • Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1
Combine or blend salt, sugar, water, and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
2
Add flour and mix.
3
Let the mixture rise for approximately 1-2 hours.
4
In a spacious saucepan, add vegetable oil to the pot, ensuring it reaches a depth of at least 3 inches (approximately 5 cm), and heat it over low heat. Insufficient oil will lead to flatter balls.
5
To check if the oil is hot enough, drop a small amount of batter into it. If the batter sinks to the bottom of the pot instead of floating up, the oil needs to heat up more.
6
Once the oil reaches the right temperature, take a small amount of the mixture using your hands or a spoon to form a little ball of dough. Gently place it into the hot oil.
7
Fry for a few minutes until the bottom side is golden brown.
8
Flip the ball and cook for a couple more minutes until the opposite side turns golden brown.
9
Grab a big spoon or a similar tool to lift it out of the oil. I typically set them on napkins right away to absorb any extra oil.
10

If you’d like, you can roll the completed dish in table sugar or powdered sugar to enhance its sweetness.

Tips & Notes:

  • Soft puff puff: For a softer puff puff, add about 1-2 tablespoons more water. Some people find it a little bit hard after it stays out.
  • Crunchy, not soggy: Do not overcrowd the frying pan, as the puff puffs will absorb excess oil and sometimes get soggy.
  • Hold the salt: You may cut back on the salt if you are watching your salt intake. About 1 teaspoon of salt will do.
  • Preheat the stove: If your house is too cold, turn on the stove for about 2-3 minutes until warm. Then turn it off and let the puff puff rise next to it. Or place your dough in the cold oven and put a pan full of hot water under it. Check after 30 minutes to ensure it’s rising.
  • Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
  • Serving Size10
  • Amount per serving
  • Calories351,000
  • % Daily Value*Standard DV
  • Total Fat1 g72 g1.39%
  • Saturated Fat0.1 g20 g0.5%
  • Polyunsaturated Fat0.3 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat0.1 g
  • Sodium291 mg2300 mg12.65%
  • Total Carbohydrate75 g275 g27.27%
  • Dietary Fiber3 g28 g10.71%
  • Total Sugars12 g
  • Protein9 g50 g18%
  • Calcium14 mg1300 mg1.08%
  • Iron4 mg18 mg22.22%
  • Potassium99 mg4700 mg2.11%
  • Vitamin A0 mcg900 mcg0%
  • Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)0.003 mg90 mg0%

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