The Hirshon Ghanaian Spiced Fried Plantains - Kelewele

Kelewele Image Used Under Creative Commons License From biscuitsandladles.com

Citizens, allow your intrepid leader – the bold and always exploratory TFD! – to share with you today a recipe called kelewele from the proud African country of Ghana! You’ll never look at plantains the same way again, I promise!

Kelewele is a popular Ghanaian food made of fried plantains seasoned with spices. In English, it is sometimes called Hot Plantain Crisps. Kelewele is similar to dodo of Nigeria.

In Accra, the capital city of Ghana, kelewele is sold by street vendors, usually at night and sometimes in the afternoon by the country side women. It is sometimes served with beans stew, peanuts, or alone as a dessert. Kelewele is also popular for dinner.

The plantains are peeled and may be cut into chunks or cubes. Ginger, cayenne pepper, and salt are the typical spices used to make kelewele. However, onions, anise, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and chili powder are also used as spices.

Actually everyone has a secret spice blend to make their kelewele taste extraordinary, however commercial preparations exist that can simplify preparation and offer a standardized taste.

The oil should be hot and the plantain not be too soft, or it will absorb too much oil. It is cooked until the sugar in the plantains caramelizes, with brown edges.

Citizens, my version of this recipe is ferocious in its refusal to compromise – I specify two African spices that while hard to find, are what makes my version truly special! You can purchase ground ehuru seed (similar in taste to nutmeg) here and you can purchase the unique grains of Selim pepper here. 🙂

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Ghanaian Spiced Fried Plantains – Kelewele

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Prep Time: 0 hours
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Ingredients

½” ginger root (finely chopped)
1 ¼ garlic cloves, (minced or pureed)
¼ teaspoon freshly-ground clove
½ teaspoon freshly-ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground ehuru seeds (preferred) or use nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon freshly-ground grains of Selim pepper
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder (TFD addition) or just use cayenne
½ small yellow onion (finely chopped or pureed in a blender)
¼ teaspoon freshly-ground fennel seed
¼ teaspoon Knorr Aromat seasoning (preferred) or use salt
2 ripe (slight yield under pressure, yellow and black) plantains
½ cup sunflower seed oil (preferred) or vegetable oil
Peanuts and minced parsley for garnish

Instructions

Combine all spices, pureed garlic, ginger, onions and salt in a bowl.
Peel plantains and cut into small cubes.
Place in the bowl. Rub spice mixture into plantains.
Heat oil in a sauté pan. Fry plantain pieces until they are a golden/dark brown about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve warm garnished with peanuts and minced parsley.