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Tiger Nut Snacks

Tiger Nut Snacks is a traditional Nigerian recipe for a snack made from partially-rehydrated tiger nuts that are fried in spiced oil before serving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Nigerian version of Tiger Nut Snacks.

prep time

10 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Additional Time:

(+60 minutes soaking)

Serves:

4–6

Rating:

Tags : Vegetarian RecipesSpice RecipesNigeria Recipes

Tiger nuts are sold in every market all over Nigeria. The Hausa call it 'Aya', the Yorubas 'immu' and the Igbos 'ofio' or 'aki Hausa'. They are the dried tubers of a sedge that grows all over West Africa.

The dried tiger nuts are eaten as a snack and they taste of coconut. Often tiger nuts and tiger nut milk are given to pregnant women as the tubers are believed to promote lactation.

My wife soaks them for a while before lightly-frying in a spiced groundnut oil base before drying and then using as a snack

Ingredients:

200g tiger nuts
4 tbsp groundnut oil
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp hot chilli powder (typically ground, dried, red Scotch bonnets) [adjust to taste]
6 alligator pepper seeds, ground in a mortar
pinch of ground turmeric
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Wash the tiger nuts thoroughly, place in a bowl and set aside to soak for 1 hour. After this time drain the tiger nuts.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the spices, season and fry for 20 seconds until aromatic. Add the tiger nuts and toss to coat in the spiced oil.

Turn onto a baking tray and set aside in the sun to dry for a couple of hours.

Serve as a snack.