Tatale (Golden Plantain Cakes)

Plantains belong to the Musa genus, which is the same family as the banana, but they are a different species from the banana. Plantains are longer, with a thicker skin, less sweet and are never eaten raw. They are a staple food of many tropical countries and can be boiled or mashed and served with a sauce, fried up into delicious snacks, mashed and fried in golden cakes, or roasted. Plantains are a great source of potassium and Vitamin A, and also have substantial amounts of Vitamin C, magnesium and phosphorus. They have smaller amounts of a long list of other minerals and B vitamins. Because of their low sugar content they are a good choice of a complex carbohydrate.

If you live in the northern hemisphere you probably have to buy your plantains green and wait for them to ripen, which has been known to take up to three weeks in the winter time. They should be completely yellow with brown or black spots before you use them. This makes a huge difference in the taste and texture of your dish, so don't be impatient and try to use them while they are still green. Plantains are simple to prepare. You can just slice one up and throw it in the hot oil, or cut a slit in the peel and roast it in the skin.

Tatale are plantain cakes with onion and spices, fried to a golden crispiness. This dish is a specialty of Ghana, and makes a delicious snack or side dish. You could even use it as a staple starch to be served with a sauce. Make sure your plantains are very ripe for this recipe, so that they mash easily.

How to Peel a Plantain

1. Cut through the peel lengthwise with a sharp knife, making a slit the length of the plantain.
2. Slide your fingers under the peel and ease it off the plantain. If the plantain is ripe, you should be able to remove the whole peel in one piece.

Below: Peeling a plantain, and plantains chopped and sliced for the following recipes.

Tatale (Golden Plantain Cakes)

Ingredient list

• 2 very ripe plantains
• 1 onion, finely minced
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon salt
• 3 ⁄ 4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 6 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil for frying (you can use palm oil for all or part of this)

Preparation

1. Peel plantains, following the method above. Slice into pieces 2 inches or so, and then mash in a large bowl, using a potato masher. You can also pulse them in the food processor until they are ground up but not completely pureed.
2. Add the onions, ginger, red pepper, salt and cornmeal to the plantain and mix well.In a larger bowl, toss the plantain pieces with the lemon juice. Add spice mixture and toss to coat.
3. Heat oil in a heavy (cast iron is good) skillet, at least 10 1 ⁄ 2 inch. You can drop a small piece of plantain in the oil to check the hotness. When the plantain sizzles and starts to brown, your oil is ready.
4. Form golf ball-sized pieces of the plantain mixture into patties, and drop into hot oil. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.