Saturday, September 8, 2018

Vegan Mofo 2018 Post 7: Kelewele

Kelewele (spicy fried plantains) were an exceptional topping for leftover ful medames and brown rice.
Ghana means "Warrior King" in the Soninke language. This tropical region has the largest amount of children school attendance in Africa (95%) and the largest man made reservoir, Lake Volta. The second leading exporter of cacao beans is my dream place. It is where the first black women owned chocolate company, 57 Chocolate exists. In my heart of hearts, I am meant to study art and life there just as any artist pursuing abroad experiences in Paris and Florence.
Kelewele, a dish of spicy plantains, can be eaten as a snack or dessert. In Ghana, it is a popular street food sold by women usually at night. Imma puts onions and cayenne in her recipe and others exclude them, calling for a sweeter pleasure.
Easily a favorite meal during this first week of Vegan Mofo, I loved the spice combination, the kitchen smell as the plantains sizzled, and the sweet, savory flavor.

Kelewele Ingredients and Preparation

2 tablespoon olive oil
2 ripe plantains
1 teaspoon cayenne or chili powder
1/4 cup onion
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix olive oil, cayenne, onions, garlic, ginger, bouillon, and nutmeg together.
Marinate sliced plantains in the mixture.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and add plantains, stirring until sides are browned.

Best served hot.

6 comments:

  1. Yum!!! I've only cooked with plantains once and it was so long ago I forget what I made! This sounds delicious, I like the savory ingredients!
    I hope you make it to Ghana to study!

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    1. Thank you! I appreciate the hope. Plantains are so versatile-- great for savory and dessert.

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  2. These look amazing, and the combination of spices sounds perfect!

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    1. Thank you! The recipe calls for the blend to be pureed together. It works just as well not to.

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  3. Bookmarking this to make in the winter (when I don't get some much produce from CSA that I can't keep up) because I've been wanting to cook with some plantains. This sounds really yummy.

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    1. Thank you, Jennifer! This is the perfect season for cooking with plantains.

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