Kelewele is a tasty sweet and spicy Ghanaian snack that's usually served as a starter or side dish.
It's prepared from cubed ripe plantains which are seasoned with spices then fried until the sugar in the plantain caramelizes, and produces brown edges.
They're crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and are best served with peanuts, rice and creamy stews.
Although plantains are widely popular in African countries, especially the West, they're originally from the tropical areas of Southeast Asia.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe plantains
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1/2 tsp cardamons
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
Note: Alternatively, you can use these ingredients in their natural form. Like garlic cloves and ginger roots just blend the ingredients if you don't have them in powder form to form the paste for the plantains.
Method
Evenly rub your hands with cooking oil to avoid the gum from the plantains from sticking to your hands as you work on them.
Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow line down the length of the plantain and peel back the skin.
Chop the plantains into small bite-sized cubes of about 1 inch into a bowl of water.
In a large bowl mix all your spices together with the tablespoon of oil and mix them evenly. Add the cubed plantains into the bowl and rub the spice mix into them with your hands, ensuring all of them are well coated.
Let them sit in the spice mix for 30 minutes.
Add cooking oil into a large pan and allow it to heat over a medium-high heat source.
