Ghanaian · snack

Kelewele (Ginger and Cayenne Fried Plantain)

Kelewele (Ginger and Cayenne Fried Plantain) reads nutty 5.3, allium 4.4 and richness 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Ghanaian snack, about 32 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Nutty 5.3 · Allium 4.4 · Richness 4.3 · Sweetness 4.2 · Salinity 3.8 · Warm Spice 3.7 · Fruity 2.5 · Floral 2.1 · Umami 2.0 · Earthy 1.9 · Sourness 1.4 · Bitterness 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (11)

• plantains — 900 g
• fresh ginger — 40 g
• ground dried chilli — 10 g
• anise seed — 5 g
• freshly grated nutmeg — 3 g
• ground cloves — 1 g
• onion — 80 g
• salt — 7 g
• water — 30 g
• peanut oil — 690 g
• peanuts — 60 g

Time & effort: about 32 min (14 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 151.1 kcal, 2.5 g protein, 2.4 g fat, 33.3 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (6 steps)

1. Peel the plantains and cut them into 2 cm cubes, or into short diagonal wedges, which is how it is usually sold at night stalls in Accra. Allow about 5 minutes.
2. Pound the ginger, onion and salt in a mortar or asanka to a wet paste, about 3 minutes, then work in the chilli, aniseed, nutmeg, cloves and the water until you have a loose slurry.
3. Toss the plantain in the paste until every face is coated and leave it 15 to 20 minutes. Ripe plantain begins to weep sugar, and that sugar is what caramelises in the oil.
4. Heat the groundnut oil to 175 C. Fry in three batches, turning the pieces, 3 to 4 minutes a batch, until they are mahogany at the edges and yielding in the middle. Do not crowd the pan; if the oil temperature falls the spice coating burns before the plantain cooks.
5. Drain briefly on paper and serve hot with roasted peanuts.
6. Substitutions: cayenne can stand in for the ground dried chilli.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vegetable Korma with Coconut Rice — Indian
• Mchicha (Amaranth Greens in Coconut Milk) — Tanzanian
• Country Captain Chicken with Curry and Almonds — Southern
• Beans Poriyal (Dry Green Beans with Coconut) — Indian · Tamil Nadu
• Country Captain Chicken with Currants and Almonds — Southern

Keep reading: what nutty, allium, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.