In our previous recipe, we showed you how to
make Yam Cookies. There is one more yam dish we will be
giving you before the yam theme ends. But before we can give you
the recipe, mama will have to cook up the dish so that we know
exactly what we are dishing out.
While we are waiting for that, here is the recipe for
Plantain Pottage.
Plantains are in the banana family, but they are not bananas! They are denser and sweeter in taste. Plantains are not palatable raw like bananas are. Plantains must be cooked. You can either slice and fry them (when ripe) or prepare the unripe plantain as in the recipe we are about to give you.
Your local African food store will have everything you need
to prepare the plantain pottage.
Plantain Pottage
For our recipe, you need the following:
Main Ingredients(1) Unripe Plantains -- 4 (About 4lbs)(2) Beef -- 500g or 1.1 lb(3) Dried Fish -- (About 1/2 lb or 250g)(4) Cray Fish (Ground) -- 1/4 cup(5) Palm Oil -- 1/4 cup(6) Onion -- 1 bulb (large)(7) Dry Chili peppers (Ground) -- 1 tsp(8) Nchanwu (African Spice) -- 6 leaves(9) beef stock -- 2 cubes(10) Salt to taste
The Preparation:
Peel and dice Plantains into 1/2 inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Add cold water until all the diced plantain are just under water. The cold water prevents discoloring of the plantains while you get other things ready.
Soak the dry fish in scalding hot water, rinse and de-bone it and set aside in a dry container. The fish may fall apart but that's ok. Discard the fish water.
Cut the beef into one inch cubes. Wash the meat and set aside
Peel and dice onions. Set aside.
The Cooking:
In a large cooking pot with 1/4 cup of water, add beef and salt to taste, cover and bring to a boil.
Add onions and ground pepper. Cover and allow meat to cook in its own juices for 3 minutes at high heat.
Add beef stock and 1/2 cup of water and let cook for another 3 munites.
Add the fish; add the crayfish and stir. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain and add the diced plantains to the cooking pot; add the Nchanwu and the palm oil. Stir some more.
Add enough water to just cover the plantains (about 2- 3 cups). Stir and cover and allow to boil for about ten minutes stirring occationally until pottage thickens.
After pottage thickens, allow to simmer under low heat for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve. Should a meal for 6 adults.
Bon appetit!
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