If you’ve ever been to Accra, or anywhere else in Ghana for that matter, you will likely be familiar with Kelewele. Kelewele is essentially just fried plantains that have been seasoned with a variety of spices and served alongside a stew or even just on their own.
If you’re familiar with African cuisine in general you will know that many countries have their own versions of fried plantains.
Whether that’s in Nigeria, Ivory Coast or Cameroon, since plantains are a staple food in the region you can expect regional variations to be found in neighboring countries.
But the traditional Ghanaian Kelewele fried plantains are in a world of their own. I’ve always loved buying these from street vendors across the city, so much so that I learned the recipe and made them for myself!
Kelewele is actually super easy to make. In my recipe below we are simply chopping, seasoning and frying.
You shouldn’t have too much trouble making it but I have also featured a recipe video towards the end for extra inspiration.
Kelewele Recipe (Spicy Fried Plantains)
Kelewele is a traditional Ghanaian side dish or snack of spicy fried plantains. Typically sold by street vendors, you can also cook these yourself and serve with stew or simply eat them on their own.
Ingredients
- 6 Ripe Plantains
- 1/2 piece Raw Ginger
- 1/2 White Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Anise Seed
- 1 tsp Salt
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow line down the length of the plantain and peel back the skin.
- Chop the plantain into small cubes of about 1 inch size.
- Grate the ginger into a large bowl then add in chopped garlic and chopped onions.
- Now in the bowl blend in your cayenne pepper, anise seed, nutmeg and salt. Mix well.
- Next add in your plantain cubes and toss to coat in the spice mix. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
- In a deep skillet, add enough oil to slightly submerge the plantains and heat to 350 degrees F.
- Separate the plantain into batches so that each lot can fry without touching one another. This is crucial to achieving the right texture.
- Now for each batch, add into the skillet to brown, turning once during the process. It should take about 5 minutes per batch.
- Use a strainer ladle to remove the plantains from the pan and rest on a plate covered with paper towels.
- Lightly dab the plantains with paper towels to soak up any excess oil and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 463Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 600mgCarbohydrates: 115gFiber: 9gSugar: 51gProtein: 3g
Kewele makes a great snack on its own but you can serve them as a perfect side dish along with your main course of a stew or casserole.
Watch: How To Cook Kewele Fried Plantains
Here’s a great video on how to cook Kewele using a similar recipe to mine. Take a watch and try cooking this for yourself!
If you’re missing any ingredients, note that you can substitute some of the spices to make them more palatable to your friends or family.
You can add chillies or adjust the level of cayenne pepper appropriately, or you can try adding in your own spice mixes to your own taste.