Plantain porridge

Green plantainGreen plantain

The plantain porridge is a very tasty dish, for this recipe the green plantain is used. This is plantain cooked in stewed vegetable. So the word porridge may be somewhat misleading as it is actually stewed plantain. However, as this is what it is called in Nigeria where this is eaten, I would call it porridge here.

I must confess that I am not particularly a fan of green plantains but a great fan of the yellow ripe ones as they are sweater, but the green ones are more nutritious. Hence, I do recommend them but swap the green for yellow if you are like me.

Unlike the South American and Jamaican dish with similar name, it is cooked, devoid of milk. This can be eaten as a side meal or on its own.

Plantain is grown and eaten in many tropical regions of the world. It could be found Jamaica, Florida, the Caribbean, Nigeria, Cameroon, Japan, and Peru.

It can be eaten boiled, fried or baked and served with vegetable sauce or palm oil. We describe how this versatile fruit can be used in making the green plantain porridge. 

Green plantain is rich in magnesium, Vitamins C, vitamin A, and iron. It is a source of the well documented "low GI carbohydrates" which can help in weight control, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, hypertension and a few other medical conditions. Food items that have "low GI" carbohydrates (more desirable) contains complex starch that break down slowly during digestion, leading to a gradual glucose release and thus well controlled, sustained release of energy.

Plantain is also very rich in dietary fibre.

Cooked with fish, vegetables and a sprinkle of oil, it no doubt, offers a truly balance diet consisting of carbohydrates, proteins lipids, vitamins and minerals. For more on the nutritional value of plantain I found this website here helpful.

Plantain porridge

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 40min

Cooking Time: 40min

Ingredients

  • 6 Large plantains
  • 3 Tablespoons grounded crayfish
  • 2 Cups of spinach
  • 2 Cups diced chicken or kidney
  • 1 Knorr cube
  • 1 Medium sized diced onion
  • 1-2 Teaspoons of paprika( use more or less as applicable)
  • 1/2 Cup of palm oil or olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Method

It is always good to rinse the plantain before taking out the peel

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the the chicken or kidney and place in an oven tray and grill on medium heat for about 6-8 minutes on each side then set aside or alternatively season the chicken steam in a saucepan with about 100ml of water over medium heat for about 10-15minutes

Cut off both ends of the plantain and make a vertical slit on the side about a quarter of a centimetre deep with a sharp kitchen knife

If using green plantain you may need to soak in water for about 5minutes to help you take off the peel easily. If you are using ripe no need for that as plantain is soft and easier to take off from the opening in step 2

Cut the plantain in large chunks and take a few maybe 3 or or 4 pieces put in a blender with 150ml of water and blend to a paste that would serve as thickener for the porridge.

Transfer plantain chunks and paste into a pot and cover plantain with water then cook on medium heat for about 20minutes

Add all the other ingredients including grilled chicken but leave out the spinach for later

Continue cooking on medium low for another 15minutes or until plantain is soft

Add spinach and check for salt and pepper continue cooking on very low for another 5minutes and turn off stove.

 

Recipe provided by www.AfricanFoods.co.uk

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