Ghanaian Spiced Fried Plantain

Be the first to rate

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

Ghanaian spiced fried plantain is a beloved West African street snack made by tossing ripe plantain chunks in a fiery ginger-garlic-chile paste before frying them to a caramelized golden brown. The contrast of crisp edges and sweet, tender centers, perfumed with warm anise, clove, and nutmeg, makes it utterly irresistible as a snack or side.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 2 gSaturated Fat
• 48 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 22 gSugar
• 2 gProtein
• 320 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 20 mgCalcium
• 1 mgIron
• 14 mgVitamin C
• 450 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the plantain and spice mix

• 4 medium ripe plantains (yellow with small black spots), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne or Ghanaian hot pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (or crushed fennel seeds)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For frying and serving

• 1 1/2 cups neutral frying oil (canola or sunflower)
• 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, for finishing
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional garnish)
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the grated ginger, garlic, cayenne, anise seeds, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and stir into a coarse aromatic paste.
2. Add the plantain chunks to the bowl and toss thoroughly with your hands until every piece is evenly coated in the spice paste, then let marinate for 10 minutes.
3. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy skillet to a depth of about 1 inch and heat over medium heat to 350°F (175°C), or until a small piece of plantain sizzles immediately on contact.
4. Working in small batches to avoid crowding, carefully lower the spiced plantain chunks into the hot oil using a slotted spoon.
5. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning gently, until the plantains are deeply golden and caramelized at the edges and tender in the center.
6. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried plantain to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil and sprinkle lightly with the flaky salt while hot.
7. Repeat with the remaining batches, keeping the finished plantains warm in a low oven if needed, and garnish with sliced red onion.
8. Serve immediately while hot and fragrant, on its own as a snack or alongside grilled peanuts, fried yam, or a chilled tomato-pepper salsa with lime wedges.

Cook’s Notes

• Choose ripe plantains with mostly yellow skin dotted with black spots for peak sweetness; underripe ones stay starchy and will not caramelize properly.
• Do not crowd the pan; fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays hot and the plantains crisp instead of steaming.
• Authentic Ghanaian nkitinkiti (tiny anise-like seeds) can be replaced with fennel, star anise, or a pinch of Chinese five-spice.
• Dial the cayenne up or down to match your heat preference; smoked paprika works beautifully for a milder, sweeter version.
• Eat the plantain within 10 minutes of frying for the signature crisp-edges-meets-soft-center contrast that defines this snack.

You might also like

African

Fufu with Light Soup

African

Fufu with Palm Nut Soup

African

Kenkey with Spicy Fish Sauce

African

Ghanaian Spiced Beef Skewers