My mom hated wasting food. The food had to be absolutely inedible before she would throw it into the trash. The same thing applies to overripe plantains. Now, if you’re familiar with overripe plantains, you’ll know that they’re too soft and squishy and just gross if you prepare them like that. However, my mom came up with different recipes to prepare them into delicious meals.
Now that I’m a wife and mom, I’ve come to realise that overripe plantains make very good family dishes. In fact, I deliberately leave some plantains to be overripe to make great dishes out of them. As SAPA is dealing with everybody in this Nigeria, you should consider not throwing yours away because you don’t like soggy dodo.
In this article, I’m going to show you different ways you can prepare your overripe into yummy dishes.
Table of Content hide 1How to prepare overripe plantain 2Recipes for overripe plantains 2.1Overripe plantain puff puff 2.1.1Ingredients 2.1.2Preparation 2.2Overripe plantain porridge 2.2.1Ingredients 2.2.2Preparation 2.3Overripe plantain chips 2.4Overripe plantain pancakes 2.4.1Ingredients 2.4.2Preparation 2.5Overripe plantain moi moi 2.5.1Ingredients 2.5.2Preparation 2.6How to make ripe plantain akara 2.6.1Ingredients 2.6.2PreparationHow to prepare overripe plantain
There are different ways to make overripe plantains. You can make porridge, pancakes, chips, cakes, and so on. Without wasting any more time, let’s get down to the recipes.
Recipes for overripe plantains
Overripe plantain puff puff
For this recipe, we’re going to make overripe plantain puff puff. Plantain puff puffs are like regular puff puffs prepared with overripe plantains. They’re absolutely delicious, and my family can’t have enough of them any time I prepare them, especially on weekends. To make this recipe, make sure that the plantains are not rotten. If they are rotten, they won’t give off the “plantainy” smell. Alright, let’s go right into preparation.
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- Course: Dessert
- Cuisine: Nigerian
- Yields: 20
- Prep time: 1 hour
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 large overripe plantain
- 2 tablespoonful sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup whole milk/water
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Preparation
- Combine 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Leave for 5 minutes to activate.
- Cut the overripe plantains into smaller chunks and blend with salt, pepper and milk/water. You can mash them together if you like, but blending is faster and smoother.
- Sieve the flour in a bowl and mix it with sugar and nutmeg or any other dry ingredient of your choice.
- Create a hole in the middle and add the blended plantains and activated yeast. Mix everything until you get a smooth batter. The batter shouldn’t be too watery or thick.
- Cover and leave to rise for at least an hour.
- Heat some oil. The oil should be enough for deep frying.
- Scoop up some small risen batter and gradually fry them until golden brown.
- That’s it. Your overripe plantain puff puff is ready to be served with any drinks or beverages of your choice.
Note that you can make this recipe without yeast. Just replace the yeast with baking powder, and you’re good to go.
Overripe plantain porridge
Plantain porridge is a very popular dish in Nigeria. You can make your overripe plantain into a porridge, which will still be yummy. I personally don’t like my porridge to be too sweet and so I usually add combine unripe plantains with ripe or overripe ones to give a more savoury taste.
Also, to make this dish more flavourful, I’ll recommend adding smoked fish especially iced fish, as they have their unique flavours. Below is a list of ingredients.
- Course: Main course
- Cuisine: Nigerian
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 1 hour
- Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Servings: two people
Ingredients
- 4 overripe plantains and 4 unripe plantains
- 1 cup chopped red onions
- 1 smoked fish
- 2 tbsp palm oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 seasoning cubes
- Fresh peppers
- 1 tbsp blended crayfish
- 2 cups water
- Vegetables. For this recipe, I will be combining ugu and scent leaves.
Preparation
- Chop the plantains into smaller cubes and set aside.
- Chop the vegetables and set aside.
- Blend the fresh peppers. If you don’t have fresh peppers, the dry ones will do.
- Wash the smoked fish by removing the bones.
- Add the chopped plantains into a pot and add some water. Cook for about 30 minutes.
- Add the crayfish, seasoning cubes, pepper, smoked fish, salt and palm oil and allow to cook for between 15-20 minutes.
- Then add the chopped vegetables and onions and stir gently until everything is mixed together. Cover the pot and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Put off the heat and serve your porridge with a glass of water. Enjoy.
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Overripe plantain chips
In my opinion, overripe plantains don’t make good chips. They’re just too soft and soggy to make the crispy chips that I enjoy. However, if you’re interested, then the recipe is very simple. Cut the plantains into smaller round sizes. Fry them in a heated oil. Make sure the plantains don’t stick together as they fry. Flip the plantains as they fry until they’re golden brown.
Season with salt and let them cool completely before serving.
Overripe plantain pancakes
Overripe plantain pancakes are the ultimate alternative family breakfast. They’re not just light and tender, but they have a natural sweetness that you cannot resist. Let’s not waste time and go into preparation straightaway.
- Course: Breakfast, Brunch
- Cuisine: African, American
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 3people
Ingredients
- 1 large overripe plantain
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 Cup Flour
- 1 Tbsp butter or oil
- 1/4 Tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 Tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp Milk about 2 to 4 Tbsp milk
- 1/8 Tsp Salt
Preparation
- Wash, peel the plantain and chop it into smaller pieces. Then blend them until smooth.
- Add the other ingredients and blend them until they’re smooth and lump-free.
- Heat the frying pan on medium heat. Brush with a little bit of oil and when it is hot, then pour the batter small at a time.
- Allow cooking for a few seconds until it begins to hold up just like the regular pancake.
- Flip to the other side and repeat the same process.
- Serve with honey, maple syrup or whatever topping you prefer.
Overripe plantain moi moi
For this recipe, we’re going to prepare plantain moi moi also known as ukpo ogede. This is a very popular meal in Nigeria, especially in the South-East and South-South.
- Course: Main course
- Cuisine: Nigerian
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 1 hour
- Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Servings: two people
Ingredients
- 2 pieces of overripe plantain
- 100g plantain flour
- 1-2 cooking spoons of palm oil
- 1 teaspoon ground crayfish
- 1 onion
- Pepper and Salt
- 1 seasoning cube
- Cool water
Preparation
- Pour the plantain flour into a bowl, add a small quantity of water and mix till you get a medium consistency.
- Wash, peel and chop the overripe plantain into small pieces.
- Grind the crayfish, cut the onions into small pieces and blend the peppers.
- Blend the overripe plantain pieces into a smooth consistency.
- Add the plantain flour batter, onions, crayfish, pepper and stock cube with just enough water to allow the blades of the blender to move. Blend them all together.
- Pour them into a bowl.
- Add salt and palm oil and mix thoroughly till well combined.
- Heat a small quantity of water in a pot. While the water boils, scoop the smooth blends into plantain leaves, aluminium foils or cups and cover. Then place them into the boiling water and allow them to steam for 20-25 minutes. Add water when necessary.
- When it’s done, allow it to cool and set before serving.
You can serve your ukpo ogede with pap, custard or oats. You can also opt to eat it with any drink of your choice.
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How to make ripe plantain akara
I guess you’ve never heard of plantain akara before. We Nigerians are only familiar with the traditional akara made with beans pudding and deep fried. Well, plantain akara is also known as plantain mosa. Below is how to make this delicious meal.
- Course: Dessert
- Cuisine: Nigerian
- Yields: 10
- Prep time: 1 hour
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 ripe or overripe plantain
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1teaspoon of ground turmeric
- A pinch of salt
- Vegetable oil
- 6 tablespoons (tbsp) of flour
Preparation
- Peel and slice the plantain.
- Blend or mash it and red bell pepper with a blender, potato masher or mortar
- Pour the blended plantain in a bowl.
- Add turmeric, salt and flour and mix everything together until nice and smooth.
- Heat the oil in the frying pan.
- Scoop with a tablespoon and shallow fry until nice and golden.
Your plantain akara or plantain mosa is ready to be served with pap, custard, oats or any beverage of your choice.
