CHIN CHIN

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Looking at the beautiful sky while I enjoyed the lovely weather, memories of my childhood kept flocking through my mind, amongst other things, I remembered how I used to love visiting Mama Dana just to have a taste of her yummy chin chins, even though my regular visits were quite disturbing, she seemed to have enjoyed my fairy tales while I watched her mix, knead, roll and fry her chin chins.
Mama Dana was a distant neighbour who lived few blocks from mine, she was a caterer and our family friend too. While I watched every stage of her chin chin, I always asked questions like '' Aunty, how did you learn this?'' ''Is it difficult?'' ''Will I be able to make it when I grow up?'' Probably tired of my numerous questions she said to me on a fateful day, ''Young girl, there is no mountain greater than your mind.''  Inspired by Mama Dana's reply many years ago, I set out to make my own chin chins today.
Chin chin is a popular African snack made from flour, baking powder, egg and other baking ingredients. This deep fried snack is usually golden brown in colour and could be cut to whatever shape desired. For a light refreshment at home, school or at work, chin chins are a perfect company.

What you need to make chin chins

  1. 500 grams of plain flour
  2. One raw egg
  3. 100 grams of butter
  4. 9 tablespoons of whole milk
  5. 50 grams of sugar
  6.  Water (Water may hardly be  needed if whole milk was used)
  7. Vegetable oil/sunflower oil/olive oil
  8. One teaspoon of ground  nutmeg
  9. Less than half teaspoon of  baking powder
  10. Rolling Pin
  11. A clean bowl
  12. A cooking  pot
  13. Frying spoon

How to make chin chin


 

  1. Whisk egg and set aside.
  2. Mix milk and sugar and set aside.
  3. Pour measured plain flour into a clean bowl.
  4. Add nutmeg and baking powder and mix well.
  5. Add whisked egg and butter and mix until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
  6. Pour sugar and whole milk into the mixture and mix thoroughly with clean hands until the mixture molds neatly without sticking on the bowl and fingers. Add some drops of water if the mixture is too dry. Water may not be necessary if whole milk is used.
  7. On a clean flat surface, pour some dry flour.
  8. Place kneaded dough on the dry flour and flatten with a rolling pin. The dry flour prevents the kneaded dough from sticking to the rolling pin.
  9. Using a rolling pin, roll until the dough is very flat.
  10. Use a dough cutter or small knife to cut dough across each other. See picture below.
  11. Pour a generous amount of oil into a pot and leave to get very hot on medium heat.
  12. When the oil gets very hot, pour cut dough into the pot and separate immediately with a frying spoon 
  13.  Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding.
  14.  Leave the  chin chin to fry while stirring occasionally.
  15. when the chin chin is golden brown, take it out of the oil with a frying spoon.
  16. Allow the  chin chin to cool on a flat tray.
  17. Pour the chin chin in an airtight container.
Snack on these at home/school or at work, chin chins are tasty and refreshing


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