Go into the hot bubbling oil, unaccompanied. Each must journey alone.

November 7, 2018 11:30 AM

Kitchen Butterfly - your definitive guide to Nigerian cuisine - describes how to perfectly cut and fry plantains.

- A possible history of Nigerian small chops, or how samosa and spring roll became Nigerian food

- How to make Abiola's jollof rice

- Stockfish: the Nigerian-Nordic connection

- The almost complete guide to cassava products

- Around the world in Bottom Pot

posted by ChuraChura (17 comments total)

Omg yas yas YAS. I was reading a book last week where part of it was in South Africa, and a couple of the characters went and got fried plantains and rice. I’ve never had it before but I want to try making it so bad, so this post is timely and relevant to my interests. Thanks heaps!
posted by supercrayon at 11:47 AM on November 7, 2018

this is definitely not helping me remain true to my recent pledge to live off of foods other than fry banane
posted by poffin boffin at 11:48 AM on November 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

One of the best things about "Things Fall Apart," "Arrow of God" and "No Longer At Ease" by Chinua Achebe was the food descriptions. I want some pounded yam.
posted by Melismata at 12:00 PM on November 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

ohhhhh fried plantain. so hard to be patient enough to fry it properly. so good.
posted by halation at 12:10 PM on November 7, 2018

(hat tip Infini!)
posted by ChuraChura at 12:24 PM on November 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

I am of the school that cuts green plantains into thick rounds, fries them until soft, removes and crushes them into thin rounds, fries them again, then drains and tops with salt, lime juice and other delicious things.
posted by slkinsey at 1:12 PM on November 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

I was in the University of Ottawa depanneur type place that sells all the snack foods last week, and for some reason picked up a little plastic bag of fried plantains which have probably always been sold there but I've never noticed them before. Probably nothing special compared to the ones you can get in Nigeria or perhaps other places lucky enough to be within a thousand miles of where plantains are grown, but they were really impressive to me. Appearance reasonably close to that photo of the allegedly perfect one, but to me they taste way better than they look. Priced less than the average potato chips. I'm half tempted to ask about buying a whole case, next time I'm in there.
posted by sfenders at 1:29 PM on November 7, 2018

sfenders, those are also delicious, but they are to fried plantain/dodo/patacones as potato chips are to french fries, if that analogy makes sense. Fried plantain is definitely eaten fresh-fried and it's soft and wonderful inside.

But you should definitely still eat all the plantain chips. Preferably with aji to dip them in (though they're amazing and decadent with guacamole as well).
posted by halation at 1:42 PM on November 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I was taught to cut plantain slices the same way! But in my house, we pan-fry them in a skillet with butter. Now I want some, but it's so hard to wait for them to ripen...
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:53 PM on November 7, 2018

Thank you, I am going to surprise my wife this week with Jollof rice - she fell in love with it whilst working in Nigeria. :)
posted by smoke at 1:58 PM on November 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I love the idea of delicious food sending you on an "upward spiral" as stated in the first link. And I'm so hungry now after looking at those pictures.
posted by Pfardentrott at 3:27 PM on November 7, 2018

Fried plantains of exactly this type are one of my great weaknesses. I can eat way more of them than I should. I don't make them much anymore, and that's probably best for my waistline.
posted by Making You Bored For Science at 4:05 PM on November 7, 2018

Fried plantains are wonderful, ideally in palm oil.

- How to make Abiola's jollof rice

That looks to be almost the same as what I learned to make as "riz gras." I only know Nigerian food from descriptions and photos, but it always looks fantastic and I would love to take an eating-focused trip there.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:49 PM on November 7, 2018

My best friend in college was Columbian, and his mom would make the most amazing fried plantains exactly like this. She found out that I liked them, and so started sending him extra plantains with lunch. Bless that woman!
Now I can only find them fried like this at a local caribbean jerk chicken restaurant, but then only occasionally. I think I'm going to have to go there for dinner tomorrow to see if they have any... And maybe see if I can try it myself!
posted by gemmy at 9:48 PM on November 7, 2018

I love the way this is written. Finally, a food blog where I'm not scrolling past intolerable stories of CSA boxes and toddler tastebuds to finally get to a recipe. Finally, a food blog where the whole thing is relevant and every picture has meaning and the voice is clear, strong, unique.
posted by Mizu at 1:24 AM on November 8, 2018 [3 favorites]

Her writing style is FANTASTIC. I was so engrossed in every paragraph.

Growing up these were "tostones", later visiting family they were called "patacones" - makes no difference to me still SO delicious with a pinch of salt. Just tell me what to call them where I am!

Reading the article makes me even more impatient for our yearly south american xmas vacation where I will spend many, many mealtimes in a shack on a beach overlooking the Pacific while stuffing myself with these and red beans & rice and shrimp "encocado".
posted by alchemist at 5:54 AM on November 8, 2018 [3 favorites]

I met @kitchnbutterfly last year when a mutual friend invited us both to a conference in Tanzania. She's everything you'd imagine from her writing and more.
posted by infini at 6:12 AM on November 8, 2018 [2 favorites]