Making kuli-kuli starts with roasting raw peanuts until they are golden and fragrant. Once cool, the peanuts are ground into a thick paste. The peanut oil that comes out during grinding is squeezed away — this is also valuable and used for cooking. The drier paste left behind is then mixed with spices such as chilli, ginger, and a little salt before being shaped and deep-fried until beautifully crisp.
The shapes kuli-kuli come in are part of what makes them fun. Market sellers mould them into balls, rings, thin sticks, or coils, and different regions have their own favourite shapes. In Benin, children often snack on them after school, and they are popular at sports events, festivals, and celebrations.
Peanuts are one of the most important crops in West Africa because they grow well in the dry savannah soils and are packed with protein — the nutrient your muscles and brain need to grow strong. Kuli-kuli is therefore not just delicious but also a nutritious energy snack, which is why it has stayed popular for so long.
You can eat kuli-kuli on their own as a crunchy snack, or crumble them into soups and salads for a nutty flavour. Some cooks use them as a crunchy topping, the same way people in other countries use croutons or seeds.