Plantain Goodness

Plantain Veggie Sauce

June 11, 2017June 12, 2017OunjeLeave a comment

This was inspired by a post I saw last night on “So You Think You Can Cook”. The poster didn’t have enough time to share her recipe but I created this from visual inspiration .

Trust me when I say this is so delicious. You can eat it alone or pair with Rice

Recipe

3 Large Ripe Plantain
2 cups of meat stock
300g sliced Vegetables (I used Ugu+Efirin+Efo tete/green)
3 cups of blended pepper mix (tomatoes/scotch bonnet/ habanero (rodo)/tatashe(capsicum)/ onion)
1/4 cup Vegetable oil (for the sauce, you’d need more for trying the plantain.
3 cups chopped lighty fried meats (I used goat meat)
Shredded Fish (Smoked cod fish, dried sardines (bonga fish), about 1cup or more)
Bouillon cubes (2 or more depending on your tatse
Salt to taste

Procedure

Chop up your plantains and deep fry till it’s almost turning brown and set aside.
You should have pre-fried your meats.
Pour 1/4 cup of oil in a pot, allow it to heat up, once hot pour the pepper mix , fry slightly and pour in the stock. If you are using bonga fish, rinse well and add to the pepper from the start. Cook for 5 mins and add the fried meats. On medium heat, cook the stew till the water has completely reduced add your bouillon cubes and salt. Cook with lid on.
Once the water has completely reduced, add smoked fish, and vegetable. Cook for about 5 minutes with the lid off.
Stir in the fried plantains and let it simmer for about 2 mins and turn the heat off.

I’ve been pushing the #Plantain #Chocolate competition for the #ounjegiveaway. So I’ve been sharing easy ways to incorporate plantain and chocolate. Plantain waffle is an old recipe I shared last year. This is a different take on the earlier RECIPE

Plantain Waffle topped with Frozen Yogurt, Honey and Milk Chocolate shavings

Recipe

(Serves 5)

4 large ripe plantains
20g Butter
2 cups Yogurt
1 cup flour
1/8 tsp Baking powder
1/8 tsp Baking soda
1/8 cup Sugar
1 cup Milk
1 tbsp *Vanilla extract

*Cooking spray or oil to coat your waffle iron.

Procedure

▪ In a blender, blend the plantain and all the other ingredients to a smooth paste.

▪ Spray the waffle iron with some cooking spray or use a brush to apply oil on the iron to prevent the batter from sticking to the plates. (Use the waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions)

▪ Cook till waffle iron indicator says it’s done.

Plantain Waffle topped with frozen yogurt, chocolate syrup and milk chocolate shavings

GIVEAWAY TIME! ! ! ! ! (#Plantain #Chocolate competition )

July 29, 2016July 31, 2016OunjeLeave a comment

Earlier in the year, I announced that I’d be having a give away. I would be selecting FIVE (5) LUCKY WINNERS to gift BOXES of CUSTOMISED CHOCOLATES BARS to, courtesy of The ChocBoy

TO QUALIFY

CREATE A RECIPE THAT INCLUDES PLANTAIN AND CHOCOLATE!!!!!!

The top FIVE PICTURES with the highest number of likes WIN.

The competition starts TODAY 29/07/2016 and ends on MONDAY 1/08/2016.
ABOUT THE SPONSOR

ChocBoy (The Best Chocolatey Service in Nigeria) has generously donated boxes of chocolates that would be personalised with the winner’s name.

The ChocBoy Chocolatey Brand produces, packages & sells chocolate bars,chocolatey treats,chocolatey products and customized chocolate bars.

The company is an indigenous company here in Nigeria that delivers the best chocolates and chocolatey experience for you and in any event.

With a vision to become the preferred premium, Nigerian made chocolate brand, the mission is to produce chocolates that will give a yummy, smooth and an unforgettable chocolatey experience that keeps our consumers wanting more.

THE COMPETITION

Rules!!!!!

Take a picture of your Plantain/Chocolate creation, and cc @ounjealadun

@thechocboy

@dodogang_

Your post must contain the following hash tags.

#chocboy #ounjealadun

#chocolate #dodogang #ounjegiveaway #plantainchocolate

For our Facebook followers, you can still participate by sending us your entries through our inbox, we would share your pictures on Instagram and collate the votes!

Shout out to @dodogang_ for the social media support. We love you!!!!!

You can get inspirations for your entry from our plantain catalogue in the link below.

https://ounjealadun.com/category/plantain-goodness/

TIPS

Now you don’t have to break a leg or even rob a bank to be a part of the GIVEAWAY!!!!

Your entry can be as simple as this, just incorporate Plantain and Chocolate into a dish.

This right here is Banana Ice cream sprinkled with #Plantain chips and #chocolate syrup.

Spicy Plantain Chips dipped in Chocolate Syrup

Plantain Waffles topped with frozen yogurt, chocolate syrup and shaved milk chocolate.

Pictures of Chocolate bars that have been generously donated by The ChocBoy. Please follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Visit www.chocboy.com for more information on the chocolatey treats they offer.

Customized Box of chocolates for that special person.

Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate

Prawn Dodo

July 12, 2016OunjeLeave a comment

A few days ago, my Gizdodo was featured on a blog and it really cheered me up. Thing was I had been ill, drifting in and out of sleep from being heavily medicated with flu pills and antibiotics, I had initially thought it was malaria and so I self medicated (don’t be like me).

That blog post reminded me a lot of a part of my life that I had not paid attention to at all this year. Cooking!

Not just cooking, because of course I have cooked food this year, but being a mad scientist in my kitchen. Using my cooking as a therapeutic outlet and chronicling it.

Not quite sure how I would fit this back into my life right now, but I’m sure I won’t let myself go too much to the extent that I’d neglect the things I love.
I love seafood as some people would know and this here is Prawn Dodo made using Gizdodo recipe. You should try it out.

Recipe

• 500g Fresh Prawns

• 3 Ripe Plantains

• 1 Large Onion

• 4 Tomatoes

• Jalapeño peppers ( Bawa / Sombo / long tatashe ) As many as you want depending on how much heat you can handle. I used more than 10 pieces

• 3 medium sweet bell peppers (i used yellow, red, green)

• Scotch Bonnet (Ata rodo) as many as you want

• 1 cup beef Stock

• 2 Bouillon Cubes (knorr beef cubes in this instance)

• Salt to taste

• Vegetable oil ( to fry )/ Or Air fry

• 1/4 Coconut oil

Procedure

– Dice up your plantains and fry till golden brown and set aside.

– Coarsely blend your tomatoes, onion and peppers. You can use as little or as much of any of these ingredients. What we want to get is at least 1 1/2 cups of the coarsely blended pepper.

– Chop you bell peppers.

– In a pot or wok add coconut oil, blended pepper, add 1 cup of beef Stock, taste for seasoning, if necessary season a little more. Cook with lid off till the water is reduced completely, turn the heat down a notch and allow the pepper simmer, then add chopped bell peppers and prawns.

– Turn the heat down completely and cover the pot/wok for 2 minutes to allow the prawns cook, take off the lid and cook for an additional 5 minutes, then stir it in well and add the fried plantain and stir in using a wooden or plastic spoon/ladle so as not to mash up the plantain.

– Stir in well and turn off the heat. Serve warm.

Igbindodo ; A dish of Snails and Plantain

July 29, 2015OunjeLeave a comment

In my earlier post about Gizdodo, I had described Gizdodo as the marriage between Gizzard and dodo made in plantain heaven! If you love snails half as much as I do, then you’d love this Igbindodo.
Igbin being the Yoruba word for snails. Dodo is fried plantain in Yoruba too

Recipe

• 1 Kg well cleaned Snails

• 6 Ripe Plantains

• 2 Large Onions

• 4 Tomatoes

• Jalapeño peppers ( Bawa / Sombo / long tatashe ) As many as you want depending on how much heat you can handle. I used more than 10 pieces

• 2 large sweet bell peppers (i used Green and Red)

• 1 1/2 cups chopped Carrots

• Scotch Bonnet (Ata rodo) as many as you want

• * 1 cup meat stock (optional)

• 2 Bouillon Cubes (knorr beef cubes in this instance)

• Salt to taste

• Vegetable oil ( to fry )

Procedure

– Dice, marinate Snails with cayenne pepper (ground dried pepper ), salt and bouillon cubes for at least 30 mins, and fry till done.

– While your snails are marinating, prep you other ingredients. Coarsely blended your tomatoes, onion and peppers. You can use as little or as much of any of these ingredients. What we want to get is at least 2 1/2 cups of the coarsely blended pepper. Chop you bell peppers.

– Dice up your plantains and fry till golden brown and set aside. (I like to fry my plantain first and use the same oil to fry the snails )

– Using some the oil you fried the snail in, in a pot or wok add the pepper blend, add 1 cup of *meat Stock, taste for seasoning, if necessary season a little more. Cook with lid off, till the water is reduced, add the fried snail allow to cook till the water is completely reduced and the pepper starts to fry in the oil, turn the heat down a notch, then carrots, giving it a 5 minute head start before adding chopped bell peppers.

– Turn the heat down stir the fried plantain and stir in using a wooden or plastic spoon/ladle so as not to mash up the plantain.

– Stir in well and turn off the heat. Serve warm.

Gizdodo

April 23, 2015July 29, 2015Ounje10 Comments

Gizdodo is a happy marriage of fried plantain, fried gizzard and peppered stew. I’ve been trying to find the history of the dish but one thing I’m certain of is that it was made popular by caterers who served them at parties and events. Usually it is served at parties as a side dish or it accompanies some other dishes, but it can be served just by it self. I love gizzard, cooked or fried, I just love the crunch, it’s like eating beef that taste like chicken with the crunch of a soft cartilage.

Okay Enough of my rant, I craved gizdodo last night but Le hubs ordered beans, so I spent all of today dreaming of dinner.

Recipe

• 1 Kg Frozen Gizzard

• 6 Ripe Plantains

• 2 Large Onions

• 4 Tomatoes

• Jalapeño peppers ( Bawa / Sombo / long tatashe ) As many as you want depending on how much heat you can handle. I used more than 10 pieces

• 1 large sweet bell pepper (i used 1/2 Yellow and 1/2 Orange sweet bell peppers)

• Scotch Bonnet (Ata rodo) as many as you want

• 1 cup gizzard Stock

• 4 Bouillon Cubes (knorr beef cubes in this instance)

• Salt to taste

• Vegetable oil ( to fry )

Procedure

– Rinse gizzard, put in a pot and chop one large onion, and season with bouillon cubes, and salt. Cook till it is well cooked.

– While your gizzard is cooking prep you other ingredients. Coarsely blended your tomatoes, onion and peppers. You can use as little or as much of any of these ingredients. What we want to get is at least 2 1/2 cups of the coarsely blended pepper. Chop you bell peppers. When the gizzard is cooked, save the stock, chop and fry.

– Dice up your plantains and fry till golden brown and set aside. (I like to fry my plantain first and use the same oil to fry the gizzard)

– Using some the oil you fried the gizzard in, in a pot or wok add the pepper blend, add 1 cup of the gizzard Stock, taste for seasoning, if necessary season a little more. Cook with lid off till the water is reduced completely and the pepper starts to fry in the oil, turn the heat down a notch, then add chopped bell peppers.

– Turn the heat down completely and add the gizzard, stir it in well and add the fried plantain and stir in using a wooden or plastic spoon/ladle so as not to mash up the plantain.

– Stir in well and turn off the heat. Serve warm.

Le hubs came in 1 hr early from work and came straight to the kitchen, the aroma of the gizzard pulled him in, he says “Ki lon ta san san? ” (What smells goods), he spies the gizzard and the says “Ope o! Gizdodo ” He had second helpings. The little man in his own case was upset, because I had given him just dodo and fried egg earlier since he had an early dinner. -Bedtime is 7 – 7.30 pm on a school night and school is back in session. –

Unripe Plantain Fufu

April 14, 2015Ounje2 Comments

Do you have unripe plantains at home and you don’t know what do with them? Or you want a healthier alternative to your regular yam flour? Try this.

– Peel your unripe plantains, chop into large chunks.

– Throw them into a blender, add a little bit of water and blend to a smooth paste.

– Put a clean dry pot on heat and pour in your plantain paste and stir with a wooden ladle.

– Keep stirring until it starts to thicken. It might start to form lumps but keep stirring in quick motions till it is well blended.

The process for making this is no different from how you’d make your regular Amala or Semo.

It is as simple as that.

Ipekere (Plantain Chips)

March 14, 2015June 28, 2015OunjeLeave a comment

How to make Ipekere

i made these whilst the boys were watching a football match

Use unripe plantains.

Light green plantain, my personal preference

I prefer the light green type as the plantain is easier to peel and it tastes slighty sweet.

– Cut plantain by making four vertical slashes on the sides and lift the peel.

– Using a potato peeler (I favour a potato peeler)or a small sharp knife slice in your preferred shape. It has to be very thin slices, you achieve this better with a potato peeler.

– Using a deep pan, heat the oil till very hot and fry.

Try dipping the slices in individually, they stick together if it is dumped in at once, and the chips take on the shape they entered the oil in.

– For added flavour you can fry onions and fresh ginger along side or sprinkle, cayenne pepper or ginger or onion powder on the plantain slices before you fry.

– Fry chips till golden brown, take out and strain in a seive lined with a paper towel. If you didnt add any spices before frying, toss with some salt and pepper or salt and ginger or any other desired spice.

– If the oil is well strained you can keep in an airtight container for as long as 3-8 days. For large batches I fry lightly brown and after frying and straining I lay in an oven pan and allow it to dry a little bit in the oven. It is more crispy and crunchy and the shelf life is longer.

Fried Plantain and Peppered Baby Snails.

March 14, 2015March 15, 2015OunjeLeave a comment

Soft fried plantain with peppered baby snails

Recipe for peppered baby snails.
3 cups shelled and cleaned baby snails

1 cup coarsely blended pepper (depending on your heat tolerance you can either to add tomatoes or not. Use any pepper of your choice. I used Jalapeño i.e bawa/sombo, and Scotch Bonnet i.e Atarodo)
1 medium onion (coarsely blended)

Salt
Seasoning cubes
3 tablespoons of oil.

Heat up oil, add chopped onion, fry till tender then add pepper.
Allow to cook for about 5 minutes then add the snails and season. Turn the heat low and allow to simmer till the pepper is cooked and snails are tender. Cook with lid off .

Long strips plantain and peppered baby snails

To make long strip plantain, cut ripe plantain length wise, depending on how thick the plantain is you can get between 3 – 5 strips. Deep fry till golden brown, place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Just lay the plantain from end to end to make like a ribbon.

Roasted Plantain Wraps

March 12, 2015March 15, 2015OunjeLeave a comment

Yet another one for the plantain lovers. Married to a plantain/yam/ beans lover, I have to keep discovering new ways to present his favourite meals. Plantain features on my table a minimum of two times a week, see why it must never get boring?

I started out planning to make roasted plantain hotdogs, then I remembered my weekly Wednesday fix of sharwama. So instead of buying sharwama I made it.

Recipe
1. Ripe but not tender plantain
2. Coleslaw (cabbage and carrot salad)
3. Shredded meat (beef or chicken)
4. Sausage
5. Onions
6. *Mustard
7. Mayonnaise
8. Ketchup
9. Salt
10. Bouillon Cubes

Procedure
1. Peel and cut plantains length wise through the middle to open the plantain up like a boat

2. Fire up your grill and roast the plantain shells till done.
3. While the plantain grills, in a pan sautée shredded beef and onions, season lightly with salt, bouillon cubes and cayenne pepper.

4. Grill the sausage or pan fry it if you want.
5. Mix some mayonnaise with your coleslaw
6. Once the plantain is properly roasted, lay out a tin foil and assemble your wrap, starting with coleslaw, minced meat and onions, sausage, Ketchup and mustard (skip if you don’t care for mustard) and cover with another plantain shell.
6. Tightly wrap the plantain with the foil and serve.

Enjoy your plantain wraps with cold juice.

*You can fry the plantain shells instead of roasting if you want.
Enjoy