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Akpessi
Plantain and yam pottage
Akpessi: Baoulé one-pot of green plantain and yam simmered in palm oil and tomato
Around Bouaké and Yamoussoukro, akpessi is what Baoulé families cook when they want a filling one-pot meal with little fuss: chunks of green plantain and yam simmered right in a red palm oil and tomato sauce until tender. A few pieces are crushed into the liquid at the end, so the sauce turns thick and clings to everything. It is often made with smoked fish; this version keeps it meat-free, with soft garden eggs folded through for body. Expect an earthy, gently starchy dish with heat from the pepper, good with sliced avocado on the side. The usual mistake is stirring too much, which turns the whole pot to mush instead of leaving soft chunks. Chef's tip: oil your hands before peeling green plantains; the sticky sap washes off far more easily.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz white yamor 2 more plantains
- ¼ cup red palm oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet chillipierced
- 4 African aubergines (garden eggs)halved; or 1 small aubergine, cubed
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cut the ends off the 3 green plantains, slit the skin lengthways and peel; cut into 4 cm chunks. Peel the 14 oz white yam, cut into similar chunks and keep in water until needed.
10 minStep 2: Warm the ¼ cup red palm oil in a wide pot over a medium heat for 2 minutes, add the 1 onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft, then the 2 garlic cloves for 1 minute.
7 minStep 3: Add the 3 tomatoes and 1 Scotch bonnet chilli and cook for 6 minutes until the tomato collapses.
6 minStep 4: Add the plantain, drained yam, 4 African aubergines (garden eggs), 3 ¼ cups water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a medium-low heat for 25 minutes until the yam and plantain are tender when pierced. Shake the pot rather than stirring hard, or the yam breaks into mush.
25 minStep 5: Lift out the aubergine, mash it and return it, then crush a few pieces of plantain against the side of the pot. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Remove the chilli and serve.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does akpessi take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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