Recipe · Ghanaian street food
Kelewele: Ghanaian Spicy Fried Plantain Recipe
Sweet, spicy and caramelized at the edges, kelewele (keh-leh-WEH-leh) is Ghana's favorite night-market snack. Ripe plantain cubes are soaked in a fiery ginger-pepper paste, then fried until golden. It's easy to make at home.
Ingredients
What You Need
- 4 ripe plantains (yellow with black spots)
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
- ½ small onion
- 1–2 tsp cayenne pepper, or 1 scotch bonnet (to taste)
- ½ tsp ground cloves or anise seed
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 bouillon cube, crushed (optional)
- 2 tbsp water
- Vegetable oil for frying
- To serve: roasted peanuts
Tip: The riper the plantain, the sweeter and more caramelized your kelewele. Mostly black is fine, but it shouldn't be mushy.
Method
How to Make Kelewele
1. Cut the plantains
Peel the plantains and cut them into bite-size cubes or thick diagonal slices.
2. Make the spice paste
Blend the ginger, onion, pepper, cloves or anise, salt, bouillon and water into a smooth paste.
3. Marinate
Toss the plantain with the paste until well coated. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes.
4. Fry
Heat 2 inches of oil to about 350°F. Fry in small batches for 3–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden and caramelized. Don't overcrowd the pan.
5. Drain & serve
Drain on paper towels and serve hot with roasted peanuts, the classic Ghanaian way.
Make it your own
Kelewele Tips & Variations
Every Ghanaian family and street vendor has a signature twist. Try these.
Air fryer
Toss the marinated cubes with 1 tbsp oil and air fry at 400°F for 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway.
Milder version
Use ½ tsp cayenne and skip the scotch bonnet. Kids love it this way.
Extra aromatic
Add a clove of garlic, a pinch of nutmeg or a little grains of selim to the paste.
As a side
Serve with red red (bean stew), jollof rice or grilled chicken for a full meal.
No time to cook?
Grab a sweet & spicy plantain snack
Yado Market carries crunchy sweet and spicy plantain chips, a quick way to get that kelewele-style flavor. Visit us at 1651 E 87th St, Chicago, or shop online.
Shop plantain chips
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