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.

Consuming foods rich in potassium, like kelewele, supports cardiovascular health and can contribute to a balanced diet. The inclusion of ginger in kelewele brings additional health perks. Ginger has been associated with various digestive benefits, including easing nausea and reducing inflammation.

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.

Soak green plantains before frying them to keep the fruit from oxidizing quickly. As soon as you slice the green plantains, put them in a little salt water to keep the plantains from turning brown; it also helps season them.

Soaking plantains isn't a necessary step, but many recipes call for it anyway. This takes time, and it's only really a benefit to your dish if the plantains are being fried or grilled. Fried plantains get crunchier on the outside and more tender on the inside if they are soaked in salt water beforehand.

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.

Boiled plantain is a food with high energy potential because it is rich in carbohydrates. It is produced through the immersion cooking of peeled or unpeeled plantain fruits in water that may or may not have been previously boiled.

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.

The high amount of potassium found in plantains is essential for maintaining the cell and body fluids that control your heart rate and blood pressure. The fiber in plantains also helps lower your cholesterol, which in turn keeps your heart functioning at its best.

Are plantains healthier than bananas? ›

Bananas and plantains have very similar nutrition profiles. Both are good sources of several vitamins, including potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. They're also good sources of fiber. Bananas do have more sugar, though, and plantains have more starch.

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.

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.

The plantains are washed, peeled, and then sliced into thin chips of uniform thickness. The sliced plantains are then washed again to remove any dirt or debris and then soaked in saltwater for a few minutes. This process helps to remove excess starch and also adds flavor to the plantain chips.