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Authentic Ghanaian Kelewele Recipe (Spicy Fried Plantain)

Enjoy the rich taste of Ghanaian Kelewele, a popular street snack made from spiced, ripe plantains. Ghanaians love plantain and are very creative with it. From boiled, and fried, roasted and baked, there are various recipes, old and new, that are made and enjoyed from plantain. Nothing is wasted when it comes to plantains in Ghana, at every stage, it has its usefulness. One of such is Kelewele.
Kelewele is a popular street snack sold on almost every street in Ghana, especially during the night. It is a spicy snack made with ripe plantains that are cut into smaller cubes and seasoned with natural spices like onion, ginger, garlic, grains of Selim, etc.
People usually take it as a snack and it is served with groundnuts. It is made with medium ripened to ripped plantains, and it's usually crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
How is Kelewele prepared?
The following ingredients are usually the basic ingredients used. However, the ingredients can be replaced or upgraded based on individual preferences. For example, some people may prefer to use spices like cloves, anise seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, etc.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine Ghanaian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 Riped plantain
  • 1 root ginger
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves
  • 1 medium Onion
  • 4 pieces of Grains of Selim
  • 6 Pieces of cloves
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • Cooking oil for frying

Instructions
 

  • Cut the plantain into smaller cubes or diagonal shapes and set aside
  • Blend or grind onions, pepper, ginger, garlic, cloves and grains of Selim with just a little bit of water
  • In a large bowl add the plantain and blended or grinded ingredients
  • Add salt, mix, and let it sit for an hour for it to absorb the flavors from the ingredients
  • In a pan and add some oil; Oil should be hot before frying to avoid sogginess
  • Fry the plantain in batches, keep turning for about 5 mins
  • Fry till it is golden brown and transfer into a sieve or paper towel
  • Serve with groundnuts or add as a side dish

Video

Notes

How it is served 

Kelewele can be eaten as a stand-alone or side dish for many meals. When eaten alone, it is usually paired with peanuts or groundnuts. It can be paired with plain rice, waakye, Acheke, jollof rice, and absolutely any rice dish. It can also be added to finger foods and snacks.

Things to Note 

  1. Make sure to preheat the oil to prevent plantains from absorbing too much oil
  2. Fry the plantain in batches and do not overfill the pan when frying; otherwise, Kelewele will not brown evenly 
  3. Do not turn the heat up too high. Keep the fire on medium heat and keep an eye on the plantain to prevent it from burning 
  4. Allow the plantains and spices to sit for some time after mixing them so they can absorb the flavor
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and will give it a try. You can leave a comment down below and let me know what you think about this recipe.
Keyword kelewele
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