Side Servings

Fried plantain

By Neo Nontso

Serves 4-6

Difficulty Easy

Cooking Time 5 minutes

"Another West African favourite! Plantains look like large bananas but they’re starchier, firmer and need to be cooked. They taste like waffles or sweet bananas, without the banana flavour. I love fried plantains served with jollof rice, oxtail or with my breakfast." – Neo Nontso

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Ingredients

Method

2 ripe plantains
salt, to taste(optional)
4 cups sunflower or canola oil

Method

Ingredients

1. Peel the plantains and use a sharp knife to carefully slice them. Cut them into any shape you like – be creative! Discard the tips.

2. Season very lightly with salt, if desired. Some people prefer their plantain plain and sweet.

3. Fill a large pan or pot halfway with oil and heat on medium-high. Add the plantains and fry for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

4. Remove from the pan and place in a colander to drain excess oil. Serve hot as a side to any savoury dish.

Cook's note: The softer (riper) a plantain is, the sweeter it’ll be.

Extracted with permission from @Dinewithneo – My Insta Feast, by Neo Nontso (Quivertree). Recipes Neo Nontso, photographs Craig Fraser, photographic direction, food and prop styling Bianca Strydom, stylist’s assistants Ellen Schwerdtfeger, editing Gillian Warren Brown (words), Lynn Cloete (recipes).