{"id":"kelewele_64d882f651","slug":"kelewele-spiced-fried-plantains","title":"Kelewele (Spiced Fried Plantains)","description":"A classic Ghanaian street food snack featuring ripe plantains seasoned with a pungent ginger-garlic spice blend and fried until perfectly caramelized.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":10,"cookMinutes":15,"totalMinutes":25,"activeMinutes":25},"ingredients":[{"id":"ingredient-1","original":"4 large ripe plantains","name":"Plantain","quantity":4,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":4,"usUnit":"piece","form":"ripe","notes":"yellow with black spots","group":"Base","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-2","original":"2 inches fresh ginger, peeled","name":"Ginger","quantity":50,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1.76,"usUnit":"oz","form":"fresh","notes":"peeled","group":"Spice Paste","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-3","original":"2 garlic cloves","name":"Garlic","quantity":2,"unit":"clove","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"clove","form":"peeled","notes":"","group":"Spice Paste","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-4","original":"1 small onion","name":"Onion","quantity":0.5,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":0.5,"usUnit":"piece","form":"peeled","notes":"small","group":"Spice Paste","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-5","original":"1 tsp cayenne pepper","name":"Cayenne Pepper","quantity":2,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tsp","form":"ground","notes":"","group":"Spice Paste","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-6","original":"1 tsp salt","name":"Salt","quantity":5,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"tsp","form":"","notes":"or to taste","group":"Spice Paste","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-7","original":"Vegetable oil for deep frying","name":"Vegetable Oil","quantity":500,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"2","usUnit":"cup","form":"liquid","notes":"for frying","group":"Cooking","optional":false}],"instructions":[{"id":"instruction-1","text":"Peel the plantains and cut them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes or diagonal slices.","group":"Preparation","title":"Peel the plantains","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-2","text":"In a blender or using a mortar and pestle, grind the ginger, onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, and salt into a smooth paste.","group":"Preparation","title":"In a blender or using a mortar and pestle, grind the ginger, onion, garlic","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-3","text":"In a large bowl, toss the plantain cubes with the spice paste until every piece is well-coated. Let them marinate for 10-15 minutes.","group":"Preparation","title":"Toss the plantain cubes","timerMinutes":10,"sourceTitle":"Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-4","text":"Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok to 350°F (177°C).","group":"Cooking","title":"Heat the vegetable oil","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Cooking"},{"id":"instruction-5","text":"Fry the plantains in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until they are dark golden brown and the edges have slightly caramelized, about 4-6 minutes per batch.","group":"Cooking","title":"Fry the plantains","timerMinutes":5,"sourceTitle":"Cooking"},{"id":"instruction-6","text":"Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.","group":"Serving","title":"Remove with a slotted spoon","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Serving"}],"notes":"For the best results, use very ripe plantains—the ones with plenty of black spots on the yellow skin. They are sweeter and caramelize better. Often served with roasted peanuts.","cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["Ghanaian"]},"course":["appetizer","side"],"cookingMethod":["fry"],"equipment":["blender or mortar and pestle","large frying pan or wok","slotted spoon"],"diet":["vegan","vegetarian","gluten_free"],"allergens":[],"difficulty":"easy","yield":{"amount":4,"unit":"servings","note":""},"makeAhead":{"instructions":"You can blend the spice paste up to 3 days in advance."},"storage":{"food":{"instructions":"Best eaten fresh. If needed, store in an airtight container and reheat in an air fryer or oven to restore crispness.","reheatingNotes":"Reheat at 350°F (177°C) for 5 minutes in an oven."}},"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fkelewele_64d882f651%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=94d0a5ab-eea0-47c2-8e3f-d581133b7d1e","imageAlt":"Kelewele (Spiced Fried Plantains) — recipe cover","aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","sourceUrl":"","tags":["plantain","street food","spicy","ghanaian","kelewele","vegan"],"schemaVersion":1,"sourceTitle":"Kelewele (Spiced Fried Plantains)","sourcePublishedAt":"2026-02-04T22:27:22.636Z","sourceUpdatedAt":"2026-02-04T22:27:22.636Z","related":[{"id":"boli_cb6fb8f7eb","slug":"boli-roasted-plantain","title":"Boli (Roasted Plantain)","description":"A beloved West African street food staple consisting of sweet, ripe plantains grilled until caramelized and smoky. It is traditionally served with crunchy roasted groundnuts for the perfect balance of textures.","serves":2,"time":{"prepMinutes":5,"cookMinutes":20,"totalMinutes":25,"activeMinutes":10},"cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["Nigerian","West African"]},"course":["side","appetizer"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegan","vegetarian","gluten_free","dairy_free"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fboli_cb6fb8f7eb%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=dc7467a3-0e95-473a-96b4-000ff7dd6c34","imageAlt":"Boli (Roasted Plantain) — recipe cover","tags":["boli","plantain","roasted plantain","african snack","nigerian food","street food","gluten free","vegan"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":4,"stepCount":6},{"id":"recipe_ce042211ff","slug":"hibiscus-tea-karkadeh","title":"Hibiscus Tea (Karkadeh)","description":"A tart, refreshing, and vibrant ruby-red herbal infusion made from dried hibiscus calyces, traditionally enjoyed hot or chilled throughout North Africa.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":5,"cookMinutes":5,"totalMinutes":20,"activeMinutes":10},"cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["Egyptian","Sudanese"]},"course":["side"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegan","vegetarian","gluten_free","dairy_free","low_fat"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_ce042211ff%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=1b2a5418-b5e0-4872-9d25-e33fd95f6570","imageAlt":"Hibiscus Tea (Karkadeh) — recipe cover","tags":["hibiscus","karkadeh","herbal tea","african drink","refreshing","low calorie"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":3,"stepCount":5},{"id":"kachumbari_a2cddc262e","slug":"kachumbari","title":"Kachumbari","description":"A refreshing, vibrant East African tomato and onion salad that serves as the perfect cooling side dish for grilled meats, pilau, or biryani.","serves":4,"time":{"prepMinutes":20,"cookMinutes":0,"totalMinutes":20,"activeMinutes":20},"cuisine":{"group":"African","specific":["Kenyan","Tanzanian"]},"course":["salad","side"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegan","vegetarian","gluten_free","dairy_free","nut_free","low_carb","paleo"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fkachumbari_a2cddc262e%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=a72e7ee3-5e51-4b76-a2f0-15a7256dff72","imageAlt":"Kachumbari — recipe cover","tags":["kachumbari","salad","east african","tomato salad","healthy","refreshing","low calorie"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":8,"stepCount":4}]}