Shuku shuku or coconut balls

shuksShuku Shuku is a great Nigerian delicacy that doubles as a dessert and a snack. If you have ever tasted coconut and bread (chewed together), that’s what Shuku Shuku tastes like. It is the perfect way to recycle the chaff you get when you extract coconut milk. You can also use coconut flakes for this but the Shuku Shuku made with those are lighter.

Ingredients
It can be prepared in 2 ways. The first one requires baking while the second does not.
For the baked method you will need:
• 120g coconut chaff (or coconut flakes)
• 3 egg yolks
• 30g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• Bread crumbs
For the no-bake method you will need:
• 120g coconut chaff (or coconut flakes)
• Evaporated milk ( you can use condensed milk too)
• 30g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• Bread crumbs
Notes on the ingredients:
1. coconut chaff for Shuku Shuku is preferable because coconut flakes are too light and dry.
2. You only need enough quantity of evaporated milk that will make the coconut chaff stick together. So just keep adding bit by bit till the chaff is sticky enough to make balls, it should not be soaking wet.
3. You can also use condensed milk, though it is too sweet and of sticky.

Directions
Baked Shuku Shuku
1. Put the coconut chaff in a deep bowl and add the egg yolks and the icing (powdered) sugar.
2. Mix very well with a spatula till everything is well incorporated.
3. Use fingertips to make small balls of Shuku Shuku, about the size of table tennis balls.
4. Gently roll each ball on some bread crumbs till it is completely covered with bread crumbs.
5. Place in the oven tray and bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (335°F) for 15-20 minutes. Or till you see them turn a slight yellow all over.
6. That’s it!

No-bake Shuku Shuku
1. Put the coconut chaff in a deep bowl and add the icing (powdered) sugar.
2. Add the evaporated milk (or condensed milk) bit by bit and mix with a fork at the same time.
3. Do this till you have enough quantity of milk in the coconut chaff to enable you make shuku shuku balls with the chaff. The mix should not be soaking wet with the milk. :)
4. Mix very well with the fork till everything is well incorporated.
5. Use your finger tips to make small balls of Shuku Shuku, about the size of table tennis balls.
6. Gently roll them on some bread crumbs till they are completely covered.
7. They are ready to eat!
Serve with any chilled Nigerian drink: zobo, Soy Milk, Chapman, all the Kununs!