This product is a traditional cookie made with a peanut paste, whose name comes from the sound of the cookie breaking. It is often formed in the shape of a bracelet and is a typical product of the Central Plateau area. This light cookie is brown and tastes slightly sugary and a little bit fat. Koura-koura is produced in family kitchens.
To prepare the cookie, first the peanuts are shelled and then grilled in a skillet to help in peeling. After this process is finished, the nuts are placed on a mat where a pole is passed under them to eliminate the skin that is still attached and the peanuts are then completely cleaned again. The next step is to crush the peanuts until they form a paste that can be used to make a sauce.
The paste is placed in a pot with hot water and mixed until creamy and smooth; this will allow the oil contained in the paste to come out. The oil is then collected and used to cook the bracelets, rings, and pyramids that are made from the peanut paste. Children often have fun by wearing the koura-koura as jewelry before eating them.These treats were used as a snack for children who wore them around their wrists and ate them throughout the morning, while their mothers were busy with housework. The product is a traditional food, though today there are few children who still eat it during snack time. They are typically found throughout the country, but mainly in the Central Plateau area. The quantity produced each year depends on the availability of peanuts, and the best cookies are red as they contain more oil. Koura-koura are only prepared for home use, and are at risk of disappearing because the children are less interested in them and this type of snack has been replaced by industrial cookies.
Image: Marco del Comune & Oliver Migliore
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