Kelewele (Ghanaian Spicy Plantains recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How is kelewele prepared? ›

Place plantains in a bowl and pour onion mixture over top. Add chile pepper and salt; mix until plantains are coated. Fry plantains in the hot oil until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-line plate.

Kelewele is a popular Ghanaian dish made of fried plantains seasoned with spices.

But since the unripe plantains don't taste like much on their own, soaking the slices in salt water will help draw out their subtle flavors. Soaking green plantains can also add moisture to the naturally dry starch and help the tostones to crisp up nicely when they're fried.

Firstly, kelewele is a potassium powerhouse. Potassium plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy heart by helping to regulate blood pressure. Consuming foods rich in potassium, like kelewele, supports cardiovascular health and can contribute to a balanced diet.

Kelewele is a popular Ghanaian food made of fried plantains seasoned with spices. In English, it is sometimes referred to as hot plantain crisps. In Accra, kelewele is usually sold at night by street vendors and sometimes in the afternoon by the country side women. Kelewele is also a popular choice for dinner.

Heat up on high heat to about 350℉. While the oil heats up, rinse plantains thoroughly and peel. Peel a plantain by slicing the skin along the length of its ridges. Don't slice in too deeply that you cut the flesh.

Plantains are indigenous to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. They made their way along trade routes to Africa and then were brought to the Caribbean by the Spanish and African slave traders. The plantain eventually became a staple ingredient in the Caribbean.

By steaming our plantains we retain a lot of it nutrients and skip the increase oil and cholesterol that comes from frying. In Cameroon where I'm from, boiled plantain is a staple.

Ripe plantains can be peeled and eaten like a banana, but even ripe plantains are usually best enjoyed cooked. Fried plantains are a tasty snack, but preparing fried plantains usually involves a lot of oil, and therefore fat.

Plantains are a healthy food, but some ways of cooking them make them less healthy. Many plantain recipes call for frying. Because they easily absorb oil, this quickly raises the calorie and fat count per serving. Some other plantain dishes, such as those for desserts, include lots of added sugar.

How do you keep plantains crispy? ›

The Right Oil—Choose a neutral-tasting oil such as canola or vegetable oil. Use only enough to coat the bottom of the pan; too much oil will result in soggy plantains. After frying each batch, drizzle additional oil into the pan if needed. The Right Heat—Use medium heat to fry the plantains.

History tells us that plantains are indigenous to equator-bordering lands in Southeast Asia. Spanish and African slave traders brought the fruit with them to the Caribbean on slave ships.

People can eat plantains as part of a healthful diet. They are high in carbs, however, so if a person is trying to manage their weight, they should be aware of portion size. Also, it may be preferable to bake or boil plantains rather than frying them.

Great plantain (Plantago major) is a plant with broad leaves native to Europe and Asia. It now grows worldwide as a weed. It's also used as medicine. Great plantain contains chemicals that might help decrease pain and swelling, decrease mucous, and open airways.

Plantain's Benefits to the Skin

Gentle: Great for sensitive skin. Soothing: Plantago has long been used to soothe bug bites and to calm the itchiness of poison ivy. Moisturizing: combined with its cleansing properties, plantains are known to help dry skin.

Try it barbecued, fried or baked with plenty of spices and punchy flavours. Plantains look like large bananas, and can be green, yellow or almost black. They are generally eaten like a carbohydrate such as a potato rather than as a fruit, and this is how you need to think of them to cook them successfully.

Since these starchy fruits need to be cooked, peel them and slice them before you choose a cooking method. Fry them in hot oil for a crispy dish or bake them in the oven for a healthier option. To quickly make a side dish or dessert, sauté the plantains with a little butter until they become tender.

For plantain chips making process, usually consists of peeling bananas, cutting plantain bananas into slices, blanching banana slices, drying banana chips, frying plantain chips, oil removing, seasoning plantain chips with different flavors, plantain chips packaging.