Small chops has been featuring on the Nigerian party scene for quite a long time. In fact, your party isn’t complete without small chops on the menu. Small chops don’t only keep your mouth busy while you wait for the main meal but is also quite tasty and can make up a balanced diet on its own. We know them to be the perfect combination of snack because they contain variety.
Small chops doesn’t discriminate – whether it’s a wedding, burial, birthday party or child dedication ceremony, you will find it in attendance.
– NCW
Another notable feature about the small chops family is that almost all its members are Nigerian with the exception of samosa, who is a long lost cousin from India and spring rolls which hail from China. Therefore, it is safe to call the small chops family a mixed race one. Preparing small chops is time consuming, especially when dealing with samosa and spring rolls, but it is always worth the time and effort.
The small chops tribe has grown extensively over the years. Although many other finger foods are added to the small chops gang every now and then, there are still some items that stand out as the original members of the small chops family:
1. Puff Puff:
The puff puff is popularly known in the Sub Saharan part of Africa. Most people have claimed that puff puff originated from Nigeria but according to other people, puff puff originated from France in 1645 by Claudius Gele who was an apprentice at the time. He wanted to bake bread different from the usual for his father who was sick. His father was on a diet of flour, butter and water. He made bread dough and inserted butter into it. He kneaded the dough, folded it several times and made them into loaves for baking. The outcome of the pastry came as a surprise to Claudius and his teacher.
The puff puff is a mixture of flour, water, sugar, salt and yeast. You can add other spices like pepper, onion and nutmeg. The batter is made by mixing the wet and dry ingredients and left for about 1 hour for the dough to rise. The resulting batter is deep-fried in vegetable oil and voila.
Puff puff is a longstanding member of the small chops family. It is one of the cheapest and easiest to prepare and it also tastes really yummy. You can eat the puff puff plain or dust it with sugar if you have a sweet tooth. Guests enjoy it mostly when it is hot and fluffy. It is advisable to watch how much puff puff you consume because of its high oil and sugar content.
2. Samosa:
If the small chops family were the Kardashians, samosa would be Kylie. The samosa is a very vital member of the small chops family because of its unique satisfying taste. Originated from India and popular in Pakistan and Nigeria, samosa is more expensive compared to puff puff. The samosa dough ( known as wrapper) is made with all-purpose flour and water.
The dough is rolled into triangle-like shapes and stuffed with a mix of mashed Irish potatoes, minced meat, peas, sweet corn, salt and also spices like pepper, onion, curry powder for an improved taste. After this, it is deep-fried in vegetable oil under moderate heat. Samosa can be eaten alone or with is fellow family members.
FUN FACT – Some people eat small chops just because of samosa.
3. Spring Roll:
Spring rolls have almost the same taste as the samosas. You can easily differentiate them from samosas by their short cylindrical shapes and the stuffing. The spring roll originated from Asia and is commonly eaten by Asians and Africans. Spring rolls do not always have meat in them, unlike the samosas. They are filled with mostly vegetables and peas. They are suitable for vegetarians. Spring rolls are prepared the same way as the samosas but the doughs are rolled in a rectangular form. They are also deep-fried under moderate heat.
You can eat the spring rolls as breakfast or appetizers during lunch and dinner. To enjoy them, take them with ice cream or cold drinks. It is another legitimate and important member of the small chops because of its great taste. Though it is expensive to make in some parts of the world, it has many nutritional values. They are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
4. Chicken/Turkey:
Imagine eating spring rolls and samosas with peppered Chicken by your side. Small chops are a family because they all go together. The chicken or turkey is mostly fried, roasted, grilled or coated in pepper. They help to enhance the taste of small chops and offer variety. They are simply irresistible especially when prepared well. You can decide to deep-fry or grill them. Before you do any of this, make sure to take the large bones out. You can decide to coat the meat during frying or afterwards.
5.Mosa:
Who does not love plantains? Mosa is the newest member of the small chop family and they are Nigerian-made snacks. Nigerians are familiar with this tasty snack. Mosa looks like Akara (bean cake) or puff puff, but they are much smaller. They are made out of plantains. Some people call it the plantain puff puff. They are delicious and easy to prepare. Overripe plantains are most suitable for preparing mosa. You need overripe plantain, yeast, water, all-purpose flour and salt for taste. It is less expensive to prepare when compared to the other small chops. You also deep-fry mosa, just like puff puff. For the best experience, eat with the other small chops family, sauce or drinks.
Small chops have a high demand for consumption at weddings, birthdays, and even for enjoyment at home. There are other items that are part of the small chops family, some of them are corn dogs, fried plantain, fried yam, money bag, peppered snail, and many others.
Did we leave anyone out? Let us know in the comments section.
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