The groundnuts are grown all over Nigeria for it’s healthy benefits and commercial values; cultivated for it’s nuts, oils, stems, and leaves with the botanical name of “Arachis hypogaea” popularly called “Gyada” and it’s oil is known as “Mai Kuli-Kuli or Mai Gyada “in Hausa, named “Kwalji” while it’s oil is “Kindau’u Kwalji” in Kanuri, the groundnut is “Epa” it’s oil is “Ororo Epa” in Yoruba, named as “Ahuekere” and it’s oil is “Mmanu Ahuekere” in Igbo languages of Nigeria.
Globally Nigeria is the third in groundnut production and the leader in Africa; groundnuts are cultivated in farms or home backyard gardens with an impressive yield for the home consumption and the retail markets but generally in Nigeria the groundnuts are grown in large quantities for commercial purposes for the extraction of the groundnut oil used for home cooking, and industrial foods; for biodiesel fuel, for beauty and pharmaceutical industries. The pulpy chaff of the groundnuts by-product from the oil extraction are great for animal feed; the fresh and dried leaves of the groundnuts are stacked and stored for use as animal feeds which are highly nourishing and fattening for animal rearing.
In Nigeria way back in the blessed days of 1912 farmers were encouraged to cultivate the groundnut crop; the groundnuts during the days of agricultural boom in the 60s and 70s in northern Nigeria was bringing in huge export earnings. A magnificent structures of groundnuts sacks were beautifully and geometrically arranged in a pyramid like design, moving up to the heavens; rows after rows of painstaking and precise arrangements of the groundnut pyramids are seen at several collection fields in the northern city of Kano state Nigeria. The groundnut, a precious export crop during the ancient days of boom in the groundnut production, such groundnut pyramid bring in huge returns into the country and many farmers engaged in its farming for economic purposes, a symbol of agricultural wealth and economic prosperity; a historical identity on Nigerian postage stamps. An awesome view, attracting tourists all over the world for a glimpse into an amazing architectural design of the groundnut-peanut pyramids; towering up as a great national symbol of pride. The reasons stacking up sacks of the groundnuts into pyramids then were due to the accumulated groundnuts sacks from farmers, hence the structuring into pyramids for easy shipping from Kano to Lagos on the one line train tracks before exports to other countries; also stacking the sacks of groundnuts geometrically was considered the best storage method in preserving and preventing the insects infestations of the nuts.
Way back then during the agricultural boom, the groundnuts crop maintained and sustained the Nigeria economy, constructing the groundnuts pyramids into the foundational pillar of the economy of Nigeria. The revenue from its export to foreign markets and the money made from local markets was channeled into the crude oil refineries, rigs, oil wells and barrels, subsequently a shift to the oil production and the era of oil boom in Nigeria; thus, the rural-urban drifts when the migration of manpower leads to the total collapse of the groundnut-peanut pyramid. The crude oil discovery referred to as the “Black Gold” moved the government attention away from agriculture and the groundnut cultivation suffer immensely in Nigeria during the oil boom; unexpectedly the magnificent groundnut pyramids disappeared into a memory never to be forgotten. The oil boom brought about a neglect in the groundnut cultivation, leading to a gradual decline and disappearance of the amazing groundnut-peanut pyramids. This decline affected the groundnut processing industries causing a huge shift away from groundnut crop used as raw material, consequently closing down. The devastating environmental factors of the drought and the rosette viruses outbreak dealt a dangerous blow on the production of the groundnut destroying and wiping out crops of several million hectares worth millions in monetary values during the 70s which caused a major financial ruin for the farmers and the Nation as a whole. The total neglect of the crop was compounded by the lack of a ready market for the few farmers who still engaged in its production despite the loss, losing confidence and assurance to continue, hence the total neglect and abandonment of groundnut production and agriculture as a whole in Nigeria.
The Groundnut Markets In Nigeria: The Authentic Method Of Traditional Homemade Groundnut Oil In Borno State Nigeria;
The groundnut cultivation and the marketing of its products are an ancient practice in Maiduguri, Borno state, amongst all other businesses elderly women engaged in, are the making of homemade groundnut oil known as Kindau’u Kwalji, the groundnut snacks are made and sold in varieties of delightful sweet nutty goodies such as the roasted groundnut candies, the roasted shelled and skinned groundnuts generally known as Kwalji Manda’a, and the unshelled roasted groundnuts called Kwalji Faya-Faya in Kanuri are the most popular engaged in by elderly Kanuri women. These women produce the best, delicious and most tasty roasted groundnut, KULI-KULI the groundnut fried crackers and groundnut oil in Nigeria; the unique taste, flavor and aroma is achieved by the painstaking homemade production processes. A visit to the compound of the elderly woman known and called as Ya’Kura living at the Shehuri North of the Metropolis in Maiduguri gives a view into some of the traditional methods of groundnut processing. A large compound housing many rooms with an especially traditional kitchen that easily draws the attention of anyone visiting for the first time, arranged beautifully on one side of the kitchen are different sizes of bottles used for the groundnut oil measurements, with colorful funnel according to the bottle sizes. There is a large black clay pot in the middle of the kitchen and by it side are three large stones placed and arranged to form a triangle shape, in the middle of the stones are the low flames of the firewood, slowly burning into red coals; on the low heat is a pot of clean water. Ya’Kura first uses a small bowl to measure out the required quantity of the groundnuts for the number of groundnut oil bottles to be sold and after picking out the bad and the black groundnuts, she slightly roast it all in a large mud frying pot on low heat in order to avoid over browning and burning; importantly to get the most oil out of the groundnuts after blending into groundnut butter. Ya’Kura is seen busy picking out the bad debris away from the large bowl of groundnuts, after which with the aid of a round tiny hand-woven mat called feifei in Kanuri, she collects some of the groundnuts throwing the nuts up in the air and collecting it back perfectly without dropping a “nut” into the feifei to blow away the remaining groundnut skins, then turns it into a clean bowl by her side. The process is repeated continuously until all the groundnuts are free of debris. Ya’kura calls out for assistance from one of the young men around to help take the shelled and skinned groundnuts to the commercial mill generally referred to as “the engine” for the groundnuts to be blended into a smooth butter. As soon as the groundnuts were blended, Ya’kura turns it into the large, black clay pot, gently add into it some of the boiling water stirring with a food turner into a creamy butter. She puts off the heat and places the pot on the red coal and continues to turn the groundnut butter, this stage goes on for a long time until the oil starts to separate from the groundnut butter, scoping out the oil into a bucket as she turns the butter. The next stage that follows is the oil separation step, still a lot of oil is contain in the groundnut butter; She then moves the pot to another side of the kitchen to a uniquely large smooth stone that has been mounted on a slope stand. Ya’kura wipes away the surface of the traditional grinding stone and scope out some of the groundnut butter pulpy mass, places it on the stone. Then she goes down half way by bending over it, places both hands; palms first on the groundnut butter mass and starts to knead, just like kneading bread. The groundnut oil slowly strain out into the dish at the lower end of the stone on slope; then after collecting all the oil, Ya’Kura fries it with onion slices to give a delicious flavor and aroma. The oil is cool-off and pour into the several bottle sizes that is labelled according to it’s monetary market price.
The remaining groundnut pulpy mass left out of the oil separation is then rolled out, flattened or cut out into various shapes and fried in the groundnut oil until crispy, which is popularly called Kuli-Kuli in Hausa known as fried groundnut crackers. Ya’Kura after placing the groundnut oil on low heat with onion slices, she starts to work on the groundnut crackers-kulikuli; she places it in a wide mixing dish, add spice mix of chili pepper, ginger and salt; then the kneading of the groundnut to blend and bind into a smooth spicy dough. Ya’kura rolls out the dough for kulikuli, cut out shapes of round and flat, then shapes the edges into lacy designs with her fingers, other shapes include round bite-able little balls, and long rolls like finger shapes are made. Checking the groundnut oil on heat, she slowly drops into it the kuli-kuli and fries all into crispy golden brown delicacies.
She strain it out from the frying oil into a perforated aluminum bowl to drain all oils from it, transfer it after cooling into a large covered dish ready for the market. The groundnut oil is removed from the heat and allow to cool, sieved out the onions and the kulikuli crumbles from the oil then with the use of the funnel into the bottles it goes, ready also for the buyers.
Ya’Kura also makes Kwalji Manda’a and Faya-faya in Kanuri; the roasted groundnut known as Manda’a, is a salted roasted dried groundnuts. Ya’Kura on days she isn’t not making the groundnut oil dedicates such days for the kwalji manda’a and the faya-faya: The Manda’a she prepares with clean tiny little gravel sands specially obtain from the riverside, kept specially for the roasting of the groundnuts. Normally she always has in stock sacks of the groundnuts, the shelled and the unshelled bought directly from the farmers at a reduced price in order to cut down on expenses and obtain more profits. The roasted groundnuts are prepared with the shelled but un-skinned raw dried groundnuts. After taking out the required quantity Ya’Kura, picks out the bad pieces, rinse it and soak in salted hot water for 3 hours. She strain out the water and spread out the soaked groundnut to sun-dry. On low heat she places a deep lay pot containing the gravel sands to heat up, she pours into the pot the sun-dried salted groundnuts, pulls close to the fire and sits on a wooden stool holding a wooden stirring stick to continuously stir and turn the groundnut until golden brown. Immediately, it starts a pop-up sounds and a nutty aroma fills all around she removes it from the heat and pour it all into a perforated aluminum bowls with large holes to separate the sands from the roasted groundnuts, the sands she pours back into the pot for next use while the roasted groundnuts she allows to cool off. She measures out the quantities for sell out side her compound into a small bowl and atop of the groundnut is a small scoop for measuring the roasted groundnuts for sell according to demand. Customers at times for the skin to be removed which she gladly does after collecting the money, she measure out the quantity bought into a small round colorful mat called feifei, rubs it between her fingers to release and remove the golden brown nuts from the outer skin. She pours into a small sachet and hands it over to her customer with a happy smile, saying thanks, please come back again.
The unshelled groundnut follows the same procedures like the shelled groundnuts; she simply turns it into the heated gravel-sand pots, turning it until brown and a delicious smell is perceived; indicating that it is ready, she separates it from the sand and allow it to cool off. Ready also for the market. Another type of the faya-faya is not roasted but boiled until cooked and then sun-dried for the customers who prefer the cooked and dehydrated groundnuts, and other reason given for the cooking and sun-drying is done for preservation purposes, groundnuts easily gets bad after cooking if not dried or refrigerated.
The Groundnut-Peanut Creamy And Crunchy Recipes:
A meal of groundnut-peanuts keeps all family members feeling full for longer parts of the day, a delicious way to manage hunger, that is energy-giving and nutrient-dense. A must add-on for women, babies and kids regular diets helping to manage the malnourished to reach a healthy weight fast; generally advised in northern Nigeria to be included in fortified food packages of the malnourished babies due to the hunger crisis caused by insurgency of the region affecting mostly the dwellers of the IDP camps; a fortified recipe packets consisting of groundnuts, soya beans, millet, flour and add-on of locally sourced grains flour are blended and milled into fortified groundnut flour for the treatments of acute, very severe malnourished and hunger related diseases caused by famine, poverty or war which are then packaged into silver sachets and presented to the needy families. A healthy benefits for the underweights, overweight and vegetarians with all the needed nutrients, essential vitamins and minerals which is a requirement for daily diets of all.
The groundnuts are used for sweet or savory snacks, boiled, roasted, fried or crushed for candies, cakes, breads and the popular northern Nigeria snack called “Kuli-Kuli” in Hausa is the groundnut fried crackers. The groundnut spicy butter is a delicacy relish by all tribes all over Nigeria; served with Native salad, and garden eggs mostly in southern parts of the country, used as suya-kebab meat coating in Northern Nigeria. The dried grounded groundnut is a nourishing soup thickener used in vegetable soups, the groundnut soups, porridges such as “gwate”, the gruel meal drink while the powdered groundnut is mix with varieties of spices to serve with meat recipes, vegetables and traditional dishes in most parts of Nigeria; go nutty with nourishing recipes:-
Groundnut-Peanut Milk:
A creamy plant-based sweet milk, that can be so versatile in a variety of recipes such as food drinks, gruel, smoothies
Recipe Ingredients:
Raw groundnuts.
Water.
Sweeteners (Optional).
Flavor.
Native Spices.
Recipe Steps:
The first step is to soak the dried groundnuts in hot water for several hours until the skin is soften and bloated to easily peel away from the white nuts.
Strain and pour over the groundnuts some cool water, then rob between the fingers and palms to peel the leathery brown skins until clean.
Then soak again in clean water for several hours, strain off and add some water enough to blend into smooth pouring consistency.
Blend until all the nuts and pureed, turn into a cheese bag and sieve into a jug; squeeze the pulp in the cheese bag to get out all milk. Keep the pulp mass for use in other groundnut recipes.
Boil on low heat, add a pinch of salt and sweetener. Stir continuously to avoid sticking to saucepan.
Remove from heat, allow to cool and skim the film on top of the milk.
Sieve into jug or bottles, cover and store in the refrigerator. Sweeten and serve with honey or serve as natural as it is, for a healthy plant-based milk.
Groundnut-Peanut Powder:
The groundnut powder are made into various forms, the plain, the spicy form. A must add in soup as thickener, roasted meat or suya in Hausa. The kuli-Kuli can also be substituted for the roasted groundnuts for a delightful taste. Serve with favorite meals also.
Recipe Ingredients:
Raw dried groundnuts.
Recipe Steps:
The steps involved are few, it is so easy also; the dried groundnuts are lightly roasted to de-skin it by rubbing between the fingers until it comes away from the white nuts.
The nuts are traditionally pour into a mortar and pounded into powder using a pestle, during pounding always scrape away the sticking powder from the mortar until smooth. The grinder does an easy and fast job, pour into it and run it until smooth and powdery, stop and scrape from the grinder edges and continue until powdery. If the quantity is large, best option is to be taken to the large commercial grinding machines anywhere in the neighborhood for a small token fee.
Pour into dry air-tight jar or container, store and keep for use in recipes calling for groundnut powder.
The preparation of the spicy groundnut powder is the same as above but with add-on of spices of choice, like the ginger, garlic cloves, onions powder, cloves, chili and alligator pepper, then the seasoning cubes and salt.
The groundnut are roasted until golden brown, de-skinned. Then all spices are lightly roasted. Mix together with the groundnut, add salt, seasoning cubes. Grind into fine flowing powder. Sieve and store in air-tight jars or containers.
The third variety of the groundnut powder is the same with spicy groundnut powder but with an add-on of groundnut oil, ghee or butter, roasted sesame seeds. Then blended into a creamy smooth paste. A delicious powder with unique taste add a whole new aroma and flavor to barbecues, kebabs and the popular northern Nigeria “kilishi” spicy dried and roasted meat.
Groundnut-Peanut Gruel Is Kunun Gyada In Hausa:
A favorite food drink for the family highly nourishing and filling; prepared with the groundnuts blended into thick creamy milk; with spices and any favorite cereals. A delicious desserts served chilled.
Recipe Ingredients:
Raw groundnuts.
Rice parboiled if using.
Corn flour or Akamu/pap.
Water.
Sweeteners of choice honey or sugar.
Native Spices of cloves, ginger and chili pepper.
Tamarind is tsamiya or lemon juice or local yogurt known as kindirmo.
Recipe Steps:
The raw dried groundnuts is lightly roasted and de-skinned. Add the spices and then blend with some water into a thick creamy milk.
Add on more water if the consistency is too thick, and sieve into a deep pot.
Slowly bring it to boil on low heat.
Add in the parboil rice and continue cooking until the rice is completely soften.
If using corn flour or any other cereal flour of choice, mix to a thick paste with water before adding to the boiling groundnut milk, as soon as it thickens then remove from heat.
Gently stir until thicken, and remove from the heat.
Cool slightly, add in lemon juice, tamarind water, yogurt or kindirmo.
Sweeten with sweeteners of choice. Serve warm or cold with any favorite side dishes.
Groundnut-Peanut Mixed Cereal-Powder:
The groundnuts meal is a much more accepted dietary supplement for babies and kids on poor protein-cereal foods which is an effective treatment for babies suffering from malnutrition; groundnuts are used as therapeutic added ingredients in the treatment of acute malnutrition for the children of the IDPs in Maiduguri North east Nigeria.
Recipe Ingredients:
Raw Dried Groundnuts.
Fortified with soya beans, corn, wheat or millet flour.
Recipe Steps:
The raw dried groundnuts are de-skinned.
The cereal grains washed and de-hulled, spread out to dry under the sun.
Mix together and milled into a powdered form.
Store in air-tight containers for use as meal drinks.
Groundnut-Peanut Creamy Or Chunky Butter:
The groundnut butter can be prepared into a smooth creamy or chunky butter, serve with bread, garden eggs, african salads, other favorite snacks of choice. Achieving a crunchy groundnut butter, chop-up some roasted groundnuts and fold into the final mix.
Recipe Ingredients:
Roasted groundnuts.
Native Spices (optional).
Recipe Steps:
The groundnuts are roasted, or toasted then blended until creamy smooth and shiny; for a sweet groundnut butter simply add sweetener of choice such as the brown sugar or honey, salt and mix-in then blend all together well.
Scrape the butter into a jar, label and store for use when desire. The spicy and spreadable groundnut butter is prepared by such add-on of salt, spices of choice, and groundnut oil. Mix in well. Pour into air-tight jars, label, and store in the refrigerator.
On low heat, place a non-stick frying pan, add in the dried groundnuts.
Stir-fry until golden brown on low heat. Transfer into a bowl and sprinkle salt all over while still warm. cool and divide peanuts into three equal parts, coarsely chop i/3 of the roasted groundnuts; chop using a knife or pound with mortar and pestle into chunks.
Pour and blend the 2/3 of the roasted groundnuts in the blender, add salt and honey blend until smooth, shiny and creamy butter.
Lastly, add in the chopped roasted groundnuts and combine well.
Pour into jar, label and store.
Groundnut-Peanut Oil Is Mai Gyada In Hausa:
The oil extracted from the groundnut butter, for use in cooking soups, stews and sauces. The most expensive amongst all cooking vegetable oils in Nigeria due to the ever increasing prices of the groundnuts. The tedious and time consuming method of homemade oil separation contributed to the high prices of the groundnut oil.
Recipe Ingredients:
Raw groundnuts.
Recipe Steps:
The slightly roasted groundnuts are de-skinned and blended into creamy butter. A little hot water mix into the butter.
Cover and place in the refrigerator or a warm place undisturbed for 2 days.
Place a sieve over a bowl and strain the oil that has risen to the top of the groundnut butter.
Or place on low heat and continue to stir with food turner to squeeze out more oil.
Extract the remaining oil from the groundnut butter by turning it into a cheese bag or mesh. Knead and squeeze it until all oil is extracted. Fry with oil with onions, spices or both for tasty flavor and aroma.
Store in bottles and cover tightly.
Groundnut-Peanut Fried Chunky And Crunchy Butter Or KuliKuli or Groundnut Crackers:
A northern Nigeria snacks, serve with garri for students, enjoyed by the whole family, a ready snack for an on the go move. Absolutely tasty, satisfying and nourishing.
Recipe Ingredients:
Roasted groundnuts or groundnut butter.
Sweeteners for sweet kulikuli.
Savory for spicy kulikuli.
Salt to taste.
Recipe Steps:
The groundnut crackers are prepared using various methods, either the use of the butter without extracting the oil or the pulp mass after extracting the oil.
Roast the groundnuts and de-skin, add salt, sugar and spices then blend into a creamy paste.
Meanwhile soak tamarind known as tsamiya in Hausa for some minutes to extract the juice, add to the blended groundnut butter.
Stir and turn continuously with a wooden turner until the oil separates from the pulpy mass.
Roll out and cut into any shape of choice.
Fry in the groundnut oil until crispy golden brown.
Cool and store in air-tight jar.
Groundnut-Peanut Native Vegetable Soup: A delicious soup serve in homes all over Nigeria, prepared according to tribes and indigenous spices and taste. The Nigerian groundnut soup is prepared using the dried groundnut powder, which already contains lot of the groundnut oil. The addition of oil is optional but for more amazing taste the red palm oil can be added. Vegetables can be added for more beautiful color and nourishing healthy benefits; Serve with any swallow of choice but in the northern parts of Nigeria the peanut soup are served with rice swallow called tuwon shinkafa, masara or dawa.
Recipe Ingredients:
Meat or smoked fish.
Green vegetables of spinach and hibiscus leaf is yakuwa in Hausa.
Tomatoes, Scotch bonnets, bell-pepper.
Onion bulbs and spring onions.
Groundnuts powder.
Groundnut or palm oil (optional).
Water.
Seasoning cubes, Locust-beans is Daddawa In Hausa and salt to taste.
Native Spices of ginger, cloves, alligator pepper.
Recipe Steps:
Wash and cut meat into pieces, add onion slices, salt and seasoning cubes, then put to boil on low heat.
Add the washed and de-boned smoked fish, daddawa, and spices. The tomatoes, scotch bonnets, bell pepper and onions are combine and coarsely pounded, chopped or roughly blended and added to the soup.
The groundnut powder immediately thickens the soup when added, always watch out for quantity and the liquid content of soup by adjusting the consistency accordingly.
The peanut powder contains lot of oil, so the addition of oil is not necessary except in recipes that requires the addition of palm oil. Then add some palm oil and cook soup until meat is tender.
The groundnut vegetable recipes requires the addition of any green vegetables of choice; which are prepared, shredded and added at the last five minutes of putting off the heat.
Serve with tuwon shinkafa, tuwon masara or any swallow of choice.
Groundnut-Peanut Salted Roasted Or Toasted:
The roasted groundnuts can be served with roasted corn, serve with dakuwa a northern Nigeria made with tiger nuts, a delicious combination with roasted sesame seeds, roasted plantain, called “boli” in Yoruba, soak and serve with garri, a must with garden-eggs, eaten with bread or pop corn. Sold in bottles in super stores and malls, hawk by little kids all over the street corners, seen packaged in sachets and packets for easy snacks at motor parks, airports and market places.
Recipe Ingredients:
Raw groundnuts.
Groundnut oil (optional)
Salt.
Recipe Steps:
The groundnuts are soaked in salty hot water for several hours. Strain and sun-dry for easy and fast roasting.
Pour into a deep pot ashes, garri, cooking salt or gravel-sand to heat-up.
Add in the sun-dried groundnuts, turning continuously for even browning until golden brown.
The moment the groundnuts starts to pop-up with a sound, and the red color changes to light brown.
Cool and pour into a perforated sieve to separate the groundnuts from the particles used in roasting it.
The roasted groundnuts can also be roasted in the oven then add groundnut oil and salt, spread out and toast in the oven; Same process can be achieve by oven toasting the groundnuts.
Groundnut Peanut Sweet Dessert Balls: A cute chewy delight, love by kids and adult, always displayed in schools hygienically wrapped up in tiny little sachets.
Recipe Ingredients:
Roasted and blended or groundnuts butter.
Butter, Ghee Or Groundnut Oil.
Sesame seeds.
Grated coconuts.
Honey or brown sugar.
Native Spices.
Recipe Steps:
The raw ground is roasted or toasted until golden and the blended into puree creamy or chunky butter. On low heat place a dry pan, add to it butter or ghee to melt, if prefer use groundnut oil, add brown sugar or honey and continuously stir until well blended.
Add the peanut butter or the roasted blended groundnuts, then slowly bring to the boil. Add in the sesame seeds, grated coconut and spices, fold in and gently stir-fry on low heat until the mixture stops sticking to pan and pull easily away.
Remove from heat, allow to cool off slightly. Scoop and mold into balls. Store in an airtight jar. Serve as snacks or sweet desserts.
Groundnut-Peanut Toasted Or Roasted Honey/Caramel: A sweet crunchy peanuts, eaten by the handful as a snack or a light brunch on the go; handy in the offices while busy to grab a lunch. Healthy and hearty meal with unsweetened groundnut milk or smoothies of any fruits of choice.
Recipe Ingredients:
Raw groundnuts or toasted.
Honey or Sugar caramel.
Granulated sugar and salt.
Native Spices Of Ginger, And Cloves.
Cinnamon And Vanilla.
Recipe Steps:
On low heat, place a dry saucepan and pour in groundnut oil, or butter until heated.
Add honey into it or sugar caramel, stir in the spices, salt and flavors. Blend and mix into a smooth creamy syrup.
Then add in the roasted or toasted groundnuts and combine in, folding into the mixture until well coated.
Gently pour out onto a lined or foiled tray, baking or silicone sheets; spread out with a spatula.
If using raw groundnuts then place into the oven and toast until golden brown, constantly stir for even toasting, remove and immediately sprinkle granulated sugar all over it, follow it up with a little sprinkle of salt. Mix in well and allow to cool.
But if using roasted groundnut, sprinkle granulated sugar all over and salt, mix in thoroughly then air to cool or place in the refrigerator to harden.
Then store in air-tight jar.
Groundnut Honey Or Sugar Candy:
A sweet treat, crispy and chewy groundnut delights especially for kids, and school children. Displayed at the various school canteen, so cheap and always available.
Recipe Ingredients:
Roasted Groundnuts.
Sugar, melted into caramel.
Recipe Steps:
The groundnuts must be roasted and skinned, then crushed into pieces.
Melt the sugar into a syrupy golden brown caramel, add mix spices of ginger, cinnamon and clove powder. Stir in to blend with the caramel.
Add the crushed roasted groundnuts, a little salt to taste. Fold in to combine with the mixture to completely coat the crushed groundnuts.
Line with a foil paper, silicon of baking sheet a wide tray, then pour on it the groundnut candy, quickly spread out thinly to cool.
Shaping the groundnut candy into beautiful shapes must be done before cooling and hardening, while still hot mark out the shapes with a cutter or knife.
After cooling it will become harden, then break into jagged pieces.
Store in an airtight jar.
The Health Benefits Of Groundnut-Peanuts:
Healthy benefits of groundnut-peanut plant based foods are delicious and amazingly a healthy weight control for both the under and overweight people. Groundnuts are loaded in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids; rich in vitamins, minerals and important plant compounds that is very vital for the treatment and prevention of many ailments, high in calories, containing several amino acids with great antioxidants properties which also contains essential nutrients such as magnesium, phosphorus, copper, Vitamin E, unsaturated fats and resveratrol are superb for a healthy functioning of the heart. The phytonutrients are essential for a healthy body functions and a glowingly gorgeous skin.
Groundnut-peanuts are an excellent source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats which helps to promotes artery-clearing in the blood for a smooth flow helping to lower the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart related ailments. It is of healthy heart benefits adding groundnuts to daily diets to protects against coronary heart diseases while promoting heart health; lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) levels that leads to plague development which blocks the blood vessels. Assists in preventing and reducing inflammations that causes heart diseases; the antioxidant properties that may help fight heart diseases are also found in groundnuts. Patients with heart-related diseases are often advised to chew on some groundnuts daily, boiled, roasted or toasted.Â
Age related macular degeneration and cataract formation can be prevented with groundnut Vitamin A and Zinc loads.
Groundnuts are full of fiber, an energy booster with a rich source of protein forming a great combination that helps to slow down the digestive process for an easy and steady release of energy; the protein loads of the groundnuts are so high, an excellent necessity for growth and body building.
A vital nutrients for weight loss, which provides the required satiety for long; a crunchy little nugget to crash weight, assisting in weight loss and protecting against weight gain despite its high load of calories. An energy-dense foods which helps weight control due to the feeling of fullness for longer.
The regular consumption of groundnut helps to control cholesterols, and helps to prevent the gallstones disease caused by an uncontrolled levels of cholesterols in the body. Gallstones are small particles in the gallbladder; regular intake of groundnuts lowers risk, prevents gallstones formation and diseases. It is beneficial to chew on the groundnuts roasted, toasted or eaten in other delicious recipes at least once a day.
Groundnut is a delicious choice, an excellent super food that is safe for diabetes patients because it is sugar-free; contains healthy oil, magnesium and fiber which helps to lower blood sugar levels. The rich nutrients loads of groundnuts such as monounsaturated fat, folate, Vitamin E and niacin all contributes towards blood sugar control. Groundnut also have a high load of BIOTIN, which is beneficial for diabetes treatment, multiple sclerosis and brain conditions.
The protein and vitamin E loads in groundnut helps to prevent cancer; the daily intakes of groundnut is associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer and other types of cancers due to its Isoflavone, resveratrol, and phenolic acid have anticancer properties, especially the potent antioxidants found in groundnut’s resveratrol; lowest risk of colon cancer is guaranteed. The antioxidants in groundnuts neutralizes the free radicals in the body which helps lowers cancer risk. The daily intake of groundnuts can boost antioxidant power in the body.
The groundnuts protects cells and reduces inflammation of the wear and tear of joint pains in age related problems, a great food that helps to protect against Alzheimer’s Diseases and cognitive decline with it’s high loads of niacin and vitamin E helping to slow down the rate of cognitive decline; fantastic brain food, keeping the brain active, alert and healthy with its Vitamin B and folate. An important essential nutrients for a healthy strong bones in its rich manganese and phosphorus, absolutely essential in preventing the weakening of the bones.
Groundnut vitamin E magnesium and zinc helps to fight bacteria promotes skin health with its beta-carotene. The nutrients of niacin vitamin B3, and oleic acid in it’s antioxidants are great for glowing skin.
Groundnuts has a beneficial copper; necessary for physiological processes for energy production and for neural activity. Groundnuts are of healthy benefits for the neurodegenerative conditions in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
The Adverse Effects Of Groundnut-Peanuts:
Groundnuts are nutty bunch of crunchy goodness, due to it’s savory and sweet taste it is easy to get carried away hence the excess eating. It is high in fat and calories always eat in moderation and balance up with fruits, vegetables and remember portion control in eating the groundnut by substituting with other food that are high in calories and fat.
Groundnuts are known to cause allergic reactions in people that have sensitivity to the “arachin” and “conarachin” proteins in groundnuts which is a life-threatening allergic reactions if not immediately treated.
The phytates in groundnut are known to inhibits iron absorption in the body.
Groundnut poisoning may also occur due to possible “Aflatoxin” contamination, that occurs in bad storage which can promote fungal growth in groundnut. Aflatoxin poisoning is a serious side effect of the groundnut if not properly stored.
Excess consumption of the groundnuts must be avoided by always limiting the intake for more healthy benefits but in cases of any side effects immediately consult a Doctor.
The cure and treatment for groundnut allergies are on the way; there is an important need to find an effective way of reducing or eliminating the groundnut allergy in people with it’s sensitivity. The treatment for groundnut allergy patients is so vital because the nutrients benefits of the groundnuts must not be missed.
The Sustainability Of The Groundnut-Peanuts In Nigeria:
The modern day technological advancements and modern method of mechanized farming and processing has lead to the many diversified uses of the groundnuts that may NEVER allow for the revival of the groundnut-peanut pyramids which in todays modern times is seen as archaic and unsustainable. A much more sustainable solutions to the groundnut production in Nigeria is the best way forward; the following are some of the ways to achieve it.
The provision for farmers of an early maturing varieties of seeds in less than 90 days is necessary; drought and rosette virus resistance new varieties and yielding high production is vital for the cultivation of the groundnuts.
The expanse of land in northern Nigeria is amazing, major emphasis on increasing agricultural production and especially the groundnut cultivation is important for food security and job creation, as well as the generation of income for the small holder farmers, hard currency for the nation both within and outside the country.
The provision and access to good quality seeds for farmers, input supply and organized marketing for the farmers crops will definitely enhance the groundnut production for a sustainable food security. All these will help to alleviate poverty and hunger amongst the rural and urban poor.
The groundnut cultivation requires less to no fertilizer to grow with less green house gas emissions, thereby the groundnuts are naturally sustainable in Nigeria.
The groundnut cultivation improves soil fertility by fixing nitrogen and increasing productivity of other crops in intercropping; the new groundnut seeds varieties helps to increase yields with less water consumption, hence less environmental impacts.
The groundnut has an environmental benefits and economic value for the farmers and the country Nigeria as a whole; a rapid recovery for the re-integration of the IDPs to provide jobs for the millions of people displaced by the insecurity crisis and for sustainable economic growth of the north-east Nigeria.
The Nigeria groundnuts are organic, highly nutritious, cheap and affordable for the whole family daily diet.
It is important to boost the groundnuts processing and packaging with the necessary infrastructures; the production and processing will help in boosting local small scale businesses of the groundnut oil. The snacks business of roasted groundnuts and kuli-kuli are now in high demand all over the world; the groundnut crackers will not only stand for food security and food sufficiency for the region of the north-east ravaged by insurgency but as a step forward to rebuild destroyed livelihoods and to regain the lost glory of the groundnuts by starting off again from the grassroots. The ever increasing demands for the groundnuts and the kuli-kuli in the domestic and export markets will generate a great income for the local farmers, small holder businesses and Nigeria.
Groundnut are a healthy bunch for a whole lots of benefits for every family members, with powerful plant-based nutrients of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Go nuts… Nosh on a crunchy handful of nutty deliciousness for a healthy body!