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Unripe plantain porridge
Unripe plantain pottage: green plantain cooked down with palm oil, pepper and scent leaf, Niger Delta style
Green plantain porridge is everyday home food in Rivers and Delta states and well beyond, and many Nigerians cook it when they want something filling but lighter than yam or rice. Hard, green plantains are cut into chunks and cooked in a pepper broth with a little palm oil until they soften and the starch thickens the liquid into a savoury, slightly tangy stew, finished with peppery scent leaf. Smoked fish, crayfish or periwinkles often go in; this version is meat-free and still deeply savoury. It is a meal in itself. Adding the scent leaf too early is the usual mistake; stir it in at the very end so it stays fragrant rather than bitter. Chef's tip: oil your hands before peeling green plantain to stop the sticky sap staining your skin.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 green plantainsunripe, peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
- 1 red bell pepperdeseeded
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 scotch bonnet chilliesor habanero
- 1 onionchopped
- 3 tbsp red palm oil
- 1 tbsp locust beansiru or dawadawa, rinsed; or 1 tsp white miso
- 1 vegetable stock cubecrumbled
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 ¾ cups water
- ½ oz scent leavesnchanwu, shredded; or basil with a few mint leaves
- 3 ½ oz spinach (optional)or ugu leaves, shredded
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Keep 4 green plantains in a bowl of cold water as you cut it so it doesn't darken.
Step 2: Blend 1 red bell pepper, 2 tomatoes and 1 scotch bonnet chillies with 100 ml of the ½ cup water until smooth.
Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp red palm oil in a pot over a medium heat and fry 1 onion for 3 minutes. Add the blended pepper and 1 tbsp locust beans and fry for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
8 minStep 4: Add the drained plantain, the rest of 3 ¼ cups water, 1 vegetable stock cube and ¾ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the plantain is tender when pierced.
20 minStep 5: Mash a few chunks into the liquid to thicken it, then stir in 3 ½ oz spinach and cook for 2 minutes until the porridge is thick and the greens have wilted.
2 minStep 6: Take off the heat, stir in ½ oz scent leaves and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does unripe plantain porridge take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 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 tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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