How to make an Authentic Eto // Mashed Plantain recipe

INGREDIENTS 

1 semi ripened Plantain. You can use Yam or Cocoyam as a substitute 

30g of Salted Fish (Koobi) - Omit this for a Vegetarian version 

30g of roasted Peanuts 

1 Habanero Chilli

2 large Onions

1 tablespoonful of Zomi (spices Palm oil)

3 or more boiled Eggs 

Avocado slices (optional)

Salt to taste 

METHOD 

Watch how to prepare this classic Ghanaian dish below:

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

FONIO and MILLET JOLLOF RECIPE - GLUTEN FREE

‘Jollof’ originates from the Wolof or Jolof empire during the 14th-16th century. The former empire was situated where modern day Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania are now.

 I’ll talk about the history of Jollof in another blogpost. 

For now I’ve created a recipe using Millet and Fonio which both have high nutrient contents and a must try. To start you’ll need the following; 

INGREDIENTS 

500g of Chipotle sausages or any sausages of your choice. You can use any protein of your choice (Beef, Lamb, Goat Meat, Fish and Seafood) as substitutes.

2 tablespoonful of your preferred oil

300g of Jollof Stew or any Tomato based stew of your choice

JOLLOF STEW RECIPE

100g of sliced Carrots

400ml of Water

100g of small grain Millet

Optional 2 medium sized grilled Corn on the Cob

2 Bay leaves

150g of Fonio

300ml of your preferred Stock or Water

2 large quartered Onions

30g of sundried Tomatoes (optional)

10g of Fennel leaves which you can substitute with Basil leaves.

SERVE WITH

2 ripened peeled and sliced Plantains

250ml of your preferred oil for frying. For a healthier option you can bake the Plantain instead.

Salt to taste.

GOAT MEAT STEW RECIPE 

TIPS

Do soak the Millet overnight.

PLEASE NOTE

 Cook the Millet for at least 30 minutes before adding the Fonio. 

METHOD

Watch how to prepare this gluten free and nutrient packed Jollof below; 

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Reproducing the recipe for commercial use is prohibited unless permitted by the owner. 

THE ULTIMATE WAY OF FRYING PLANTAIN

I had this crispy and fried Plantain coated in Cornflakes at a restaurant in Barbados (Tides) and since preferred to enjoy my fried Plantain this way. 

The waiter was kind enough to get me the recipe and naturally I’ve tried it with Breadcrumbs and Corn meal.

You can get Plantain in most ethnic shops or from selected Supermarkets. Treat yourself to this amazing vegetarian dish. Serve with Guacamole, Houmous etc

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

2 large peeled and sliced Plantains to your preferred shape

300ml of your preferred oil 

4 tablespoons of Panko breadcrumbs /Ground cornflakes or Corn meal

1 large beaten Egg

Salt to taste

METHOD

Watch how to prepare this incredible recipe below;

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

AHAYOE RECIPE (CANDIED PLANTAIN FROM TOGO)

'Ahayoe' is a popular snack from Togo, made from finely diced ripened Plantain and Onion.

The mixture is fried till you either have a crunchy CoCo Pop type of texture or remove it immediately it starts to brown for a softer version.

This recipe makes for a crunchy version and is a firm favourite of mine. 

This dish is also popular amongst the Ewe’s of Ghana and it’s a must try. 

It’s imperative to rid of the excess oil by using a colander and transferring into a mould tin to shape it perfectly.

To make this dish you’ll need the following;

2 ripened Plantain 

1 medium Onion

1 litre of Oil

Half a teaspoon of Salt

METHOD

Watch how to make this dish on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’ below;

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

KELEWELE MUFFIN RECIPE

Kelewele is a sweet and spicy Ghanaian snack made from ripened Plantain and spices. A must try vegetarian and gluten free recipe. 

I first made these Kelewele muffins for my Mum about  5 years ago and I’ve since enjoyed making them.

Let’s start cooking;

INGREDIENTS 

2 over ripened Plantain

1 medium sized Onion

6 Green chillies (quantity is subject to your preference)

1 teaspoonful of Aniseed 

1 levelled teaspoon of All spice ( Pimenton)

7 pieces of cloves

2 tablespoonfuls of roasted Corn flour or Self raising flour

1 Egg

2 tablespoonfuls of Coconut oil

Salt to taste

Oil to grease your muffin tin 

METHOD 

Watch how to make this delicious spicy and sweet Muffin on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’. 

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

SWEET ROASTED PLANTAIN MASH

Over ripened Plantains used to make Kakro or Tatale in Ghana. Recipes are available on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’. What I love about the African way of cooking is the ingenious way of using up every part of the edible ingredients and creative ways of using the byproduct. 

The skins of the Plantain are fed to goats or used to make Akaun (African Potash).

In the spirit of finding more ways to use our ingredients, I created this simple recipe, which  pairs well with Turkey, Beef or Lamb. It’s a hassle free dish and one that should be made and served immediately . 

INGREDIENTS 

1 over ripened Plantain

Utensils

Foil

Fork

METHOD 

Watch how to prepare this recipe below on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share, like the video, try the recipe, leave a comment with your feedback and share with family and friends.

All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

PLANTAIN SORBET RECIPE

Plantains are rich in Potassium which regulates our bodies sodium intake and also helps regulate blood pressure in the body, due to the presence of Magnesium. Plantain contains a high dosage of Vitamin A, which helps boost your immune system, skin and cell growth.

It also aids regular digestive functions due to its high fibre content and it's rich in Vitamin C, which fights against free radicals damage to your body. 

Plantain also contains a few B Vitamins particularly B6 which promotes a healthy brain function. 

Basically, what I'm saying is Plantain is healthy and should be incorporated in our daily diet.

PLANTAIN & PASSION FRUIT SORBET VIDEO

This recipe was created to encourage the various uses of our ingredients, other than their classic uses. I'll explain myself before the creases in your frown deepens. 

Growing up in Ghana, food wastage was definitely a big 'no, no'; hence  an over ripened Plantain was either used to prepare Tatale, Krakro or Kaklo etc.

I've always followed this ethos , however I wanted to make something different, something sweet and equally inspiring.

Puddings aren't a big deal in our diet and if one must, its usually the Ghanaian Pound cake, Rock buns, Peanut or Coconut brittle and fruit salads.

The naturally sweet flavour of the over ripened Plantain lends its sweetness to this dish, hence you can omit adding sugar altogether. The Plantain also gives the Sorbet a creamy texture, whilst the Passion fruit lends its tanginess to the Sorbet. 

This is a healthy snack to enjoy (provided you exclude the Sugar) and it's perfect for both children and adults.

Lets start cooking....

 

To start you'll need, 

Ingredients 

1 large over ripened Plantain

3 large ripened Passion fruit
200ml of water

Juice of half a Lime or Lemon

Optional (1 tablespoon of Sugar)

TO BAKE

Preheat the oven to 200*c

Wrap the unpeeled Plantain in kitchen foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until you insert a skewer which comes out clean. 

Take all necessary precautions when taking the Plantain out of the oven as it will be hot.

TO STEAM

Cut the unpeeled Plantain into 4 large rings. 

Place the Plantain in a steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, peel the skin off and transfer the flesh into a bowl. Follow the process below;

TO MICROWAVE
Peel the over ripened Plantain into a bowl with a lid. Add 3 tablespoonful of water and microwave for about 3-4 minutes.

The water will help create a steam which will cook the Plantain. I prefer this process, when I want to make this quickly.


PLANTAIN SORBET VIDEO RECIPE
Watch how make this recipe by clicking the video below;

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METHOD

Scoop the baked Plantain into a bowl and set aside. to cool down. 

Cut the Passion fruit in two. 

Place a colander over a bowl and scoop the seeds and juice of the Passion fruit into the colander. 

Once done use the back of a spoon to press the juice out. Pour the water over the seeds to extract any juice left in the seeds. 

If you're using Sugar, add it at this point. 

Transfer the juice and baked Plantain into a blender and blend to a silky smooth consistency. 

Add the juice of the Lime and stir till well combined.

Using your Freezer

Transfer the smoothie into a bowl with a lid and freeze for 4 hours. 

Each hour use a fork to stir the mixture to prevent crystals from forming (this will help you gain a smooth Sorbet). The process of stirring every hour is to mimic the churn of an Ice cream maker.

Ice cream Maker

If you're lucky enough to own an Ice cream maker , pour the smoothie into your maker and follow the instructions to churn your Sorbet.

BLENDER

Place the frozen Plantain mixture into a blender. Blend till smooth (this will get rid of any ice crystals).

Serve immediately.

Enjoy your Sorbet with a sprinkle of crunchy nuts for that added texture. 

You saw the recipe here first, remember that and share. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog. 

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KOOSE OR AKARA RECIPE

TATALE (PLANTAIN PANCAKES).

'Tatale' is a popular pancake made from overripened Plantain and spices  in Ghana. It's usually served with Bambara nuts or Beans and fried in Palm oil or Zomi. In my quest of recreating African recipes I incorporated the flavours of spices used for Kelewele (for a nostalgic kick) in creating a savoury, gluten free and equally healthy breakfast option.

Traditionally, Tatale is mixed with flour to bind the mixture, however I omitted the flour altogether. Add millet flour for a gluten free option. 

Frying the Tatale in Coconut oil introduces a different flavour to this recipe and a perfect choice for breakfast.

An upload earlier on my 

Instagram page received comments of anticipation, complements and a rather memorable one. 😂

'The little girl looked at my screen n asked "who is this Aunty Abigail"? I answered Fafa, she said I want to eat Fafa'.😳😂😂😘

Serves 4

Ingredients 

3 over ripened Plantain

1 egg yolk

1 finely diced green chilli

1 finely diced Banana shallots (your preferred onion)

30g of chopped green parts of Spring onions or Onion flowers.

10g of grated Ginger

10g of Lemon thyme ((Optional)

1 tablespoon of Coconut oil

3 tablespoons of honey.

Kelewele spice mix

1 teaspoon of All spice berries (Pimento all spice) Available in most supermarkets or specialists shops

Half a teaspoon of cloves

1 teaspoon of Aniseed (Sukoni)

Method  

Kelewele spice mix

Using a coffee grinder, add the Pimento All spice, Cloves and Aniseed and grind to a smooth powder. 

Peel the Plantain and place the soft mixture into a bowl 

Add the onions, a teaspoon of the spice mix, egg yolk, Ginger, Chillies , Salt and Thyme (as shown below).

 

Mash and mix everything together as shown below

 

Melt the Coconut oil in a frying pan on a low heat

Scoop a tablespoonfull of the mixture into the frying pan. Using the back of the spoon, spread the mixture as shown above. Fry gently for 3 minutes on each side.

 

Drizzle the pancake with honey and sprinkle with Onion flowers or Spring Onions. 

Enjoy!

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Ndudu_by_Fafa for up to date information.

PLANTAIN SPONGE CAKE IN A MUG RECIPE

Over ripened Plantains are usually used to make Tatale (spicy and savoury pancake),a savoury Plantain cake known as Ofam in Ghana and Kaklo a savoury Plantain doughnut. I decided to create something sweet this time, since most Ghanaian recipes lack variant pudding choices. Anyway, since this was an experiment (that worked), I decided to microwave it instead of baking, as I wanted to get the right texture and then proceed to bake. However the texture was perfect and I decided to share the recipe. I hope you enjoy the recipe. I'll love to hear your comments, as it encourages me and helps me develop. Don't forget to share and subscribe. 

 

Ingredients

80g of melted butter 

80g of Self raising flour (preferably the self raising sponge flour, which is finer in texture and available in Sainsburys)

I tablespoonful of Sugar (optional)

Juice of 1 Passion fruit or 20ml of milk

1 free range or Organic Eggs

1 over ripened Plantain 

1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract or half a teaspoon of grated Nutmeg 

Salt to taste

 

Method 

Preheat your Oven to 180*c

Place the egg, over ripened Plantain and Vanilla extract or Nutmeg in a bowl.

 

Using a hand blender, blend everything into a smooth consistency.

Add the Sugar, Salt , Milk or Passion fruit juice and blend together.

 

Blend till smooth and add the self raising sponge flour. 

 

Gently mix the flour into the mixture til well combined. 

Microwave 

Grease a mug and fill it half way with the sponge mixture. Microwave for 1.5-2 minutes, until puffed up and cooked through when you insert a skewer. 

Tip

Microwaving the mixture for a few seconds more could dry the cake, hence microwave it for 30 seconds at a time till cooked

Oven

Preheat your oven to 180*c

Butter your 8x3cm muffin and pour in the cake mixture. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Insert a skewer in the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean its cooked.  

Enjoy this recipe warm with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. 

Find more more inspiring recipes, like this Guinea Fowl fried rice on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Don't forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave a comment and share.  

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog. 

CRUNCHY KELEWELE

'Kelewele', a spiced and cubed fried ripened Plantain, is my idea of a romantic snack from 

Ghana. Why not try this crunchy version for your loved ones. Happy Valentines everyone.

It's imperative to use ripened Plantain for this recipe for the candy like texture

Ingredients; 

2 ripened Plantains

30g of chopped Ginger

3 Green chillies 

1 teaspoon of Mixed spice

Powdered red chilli

2 eggs

150g of Panko breadcrumbs

400ml of Sunflower or Groundnut oil

Method;

Cut the Plantain into cubes

Blend the Ginger, Chillies and Onion together into a smooth paste.

Add the blended Ginger mix, the mixed spice and powdered red chilli. 

Stir till well combined. 

Crack and beat the eggs in a bowl 

Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl. 

Pour the oil in a Wok / Saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Tip;

Drop a cube of Plantain into the oil to test it's temperature. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. 

Using a ladle, scoop a portion of the spiced cubed Plantain into the beaten egg, then toss it in the breadcrumbs and fry till golden (about 5-6 minutes)

Repeat the process, till you have a golden crunchy Plantain. 

Tip;

When you add the plantain to the hot oil, please take all necessary precautions. 

Don't be tempted to stir the Plantain when you place it in the oil the first time. 

Let it fry for about a minute before you stir. This will enable the coating to stick. 

Best enjoyed with Palm wine or Pineapple and mint smoothie. 

Find more inspiring recipes on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. 
Don't forget to subscribe, try the recipe and leave comments about your feedback. 

All photos and recipe are by the owner of this blog. 

PLANTAIN MASH

Plantains are part of the Banana family of Genus Musa. In differentiating between the two, bananas are generally eaten raw and are sweeter in taste whereby Plantains are cooked before eating. 

Plantains are larger, starchier, sweeter when ripened and are rich in Vitamins A & D. They are staples in most West African homes and are treated as one would potatoes, (steamed, boiled, fried, roasted, baked) etc

This recipe was created by accident, as I was trying to make use of my leftovers. The natural sweetness of a slightly over ripened Plantain works well with the slight kick of heat from the chilli and the crunchiness the spring onions adds to its texture. 

Tip;

It's imperative to use the perfectly ripened Plantain (with slight dark patches as shown below)  for this recipe. 

Serves 6

Cooking time: 12 minutes 

Preparation time: 3minutes

Ingredients 

4 large slightly over ripened Plantains, peeled and cut into chunks 

25g of finely chopped spring onions 

1 teaspoon of butter

1 teaspoon of olive oil 

Pinch of grated nutmeg and cinnamon 

1 deseeded and finely chopped green chilli. 

Salt and pepper to taste  

Method

Tip 

The best way to intensify the natural flavours of Plantain is to either steam or bake it. 

To bake

Wrap the unpeeled Plantain in a kitchen foil and bake for 10-12 minutes. Take all necessary precautions when taking the Plantain out of the oven as it will be hot.

To steam 

Place the peeled Plantain chunks   into a steamer.

Steam for about 9-12 minutes and set aside.

In a bowl, mash the Plantain , butter and olive oil into a smooth paste. 

Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, green chillies, spring onions and mix well. 

Serve immediately alongside your roast of Pork , Beef, Guinea Fowl, Turkey, Lamb, Mutton or Chicken . 

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All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.