Ingredients
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped yellow or red onion
2 to 4 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 slice or more fresh red habanero or Scotch bonnet or other red chili pepper, seeds removed for milder flavor; or dried red pepper flakes or dried ground red pepper to taste (if you are new to chili peppers, begin with a small amount, such as 1 slice or ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried ground red pepper and add more gradually until the desired heat is achieved)
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon anise seeds
⅛ teaspoon finely grated calabash nutmeg or regular nutmeg (optional)
3 or 4 sticks hwentia (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
4 large slightly over-ripe plantains (somewhat black and soft, but not completely), peeled
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Directions
Prepare seasoning mixture:
1. Place the onion, ginger, chili pepper, cloves, anise seeds, nutmeg (if using), and 2 or 3 tablespoons of water in a mini food blender or processor along with 3 or 4 broken inch-long pieces of hwentia (hwentia adds a nice spicy, peppery, but not hot, flavor). Coarsely blend (it should not be completely blended and still have small pieces of cloves, aniseed, and hwentia).
Note: Sometimes you can use a small standard canning jar on a regular-size blender if you don’t have a mini blender. It may be necessary to remove the jar and shake it a few times to blend the seasonings. If you use a regular-sized blender container, it may require stopping several times to use a rubber spatula to push the mixture down as it is blended. Alternatively, one can crush and mix all the ingredients by hand in batches in a small marble mortar with a pestle.
2. Pour the seasoning mixture into a small bowl, stir in the salt, and let it sit while preparing the plantains. (If desired, squeeze out the fibrous strings and use mostly the seasoned liquid left behind in the blender, discarding the large coarse fibers and broken spices.)
Prepare plantains:
3. Cut each plantain in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half lengthwise again, and slice each quarter on a diagonal into diamonds, or at 90 degree angles into small cubes. The size of each piece may be quite small (such as ½ inch or a little larger, depending on your preference.)
4. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of the seasoning mixture over the cut plantains and stir well to coat. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings as necessary. Let the coated plantains sit for several minutes while preparing oil.
Fry plantains:
5. Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pan to about 350 degrees F. Make sure the oil is shallow enough that it will not bubble over when adding the plantains.
6. Using a long-handled slotted spoon, put some of the seasoned plantain pieces into the hot oil, stirring to make sure they do not stick together. When they are nicely browned on all sides, remove and drain them on paper towels. Continue cooking the remaining plantains in small batches.
To serve: These are best eaten immediately or soon after cooking, preferably with dry roasted unsalted peanuts.
Spicy Plantain Balls
Kaklo / Kakro
Makes 12 to 24 balls
Never throw out squishy, moldy black plantains. They are perfect for many things, such as this recipe, reminiscent of both Savory Plantain Pancakes (Tatale, page 50) and Ghana-Style Donuts (Bofrot/Togbei, pages 84-86). Many Ghanaians choose these balls as a favorite snack or side dish, especially when served with a Fresh Pepper Sauce (page 168) or Shito (page 170). They also pair well with Bean Stew (Red-Red, page 124). While the seasoning ingredients are similar to those for tatale, the texture is quite different. This recipe is from Flair.
Ingredients
3 over-ripe plantains, or enough to yield at least 2 cups mashed
3 tablespoons finely grated onion
½ teaspoon dried ground red pepper
1 rounded teaspoon grated or finely minced fresh hot chili pepper, variety of your choice, such as jalapeno (mild) or cayenne (medium) or substitute additional dried ground red pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
Scant ½ cup unfermented corn dough (page 189); or 1 cup toasted corn flour (page 29) mixed with ⅓ cup water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
Prepare the plantain balls:
1. Peel and mash the plantains to get a good 2 cups (a Ghanaian wooden mashing tool called an apɔtɔyewa or apotoriwa is perfect for this but you can used whatever tool you have in your kitchen).
2. Sprinkle the grated onion, dried ground red pepper, fresh chili pepper, and salt over the plantains, along with 2 or 3 tablespoons of water.
3. Add just enough water, a tablespoon at a time, to the corn dough to make it smooth, and add to the bowl with the plantains. Add the flour and baking powder, and stir well. If the dough seems very soft, add a little more flour; if it seems too dry, add a little more water.
Fry the plantain balls:
4. Heat oil in a heavy pan or deep fryer not more than half-filled to 360 degrees F. Do a temperature test: when the oil is hot enough, a small amount of dough dropped into the oil will quickly rise to the surface.
5. When the oil is hot, slip a long-handled spoon into the oil to coat it, then scoop up a spoonful of batter (balls should be about 2-inches in diameter). Using another spoon (also coated with oil) quickly slide dough into the oil. Cook the kaklo in batches until they are quite browned on all sides. They will likely turn over as they cook, but use a long-handled slotted spoon to stir and turn them if needed.
6. Use the slotted spoon to lift them out into a paper towel-lined colander to absorb the extra oil and cool.
To serve: Kaklo can be eaten warm or at room temperature.
Variations:
Some earlier recipes omit the flour and baking powder. If choosing to do this, decrease the amount of water, or omit it altogether.
Some recipes include fresh ginger and some include a little sugar as an optional addition.
Some historic Ghana cookbooks (e.g., Alice Dede’s Ghanaian Favorite Dishes, 1969; and Ghana Recipe Book, 1970) show how creative Ghanaian cooks have never limited themselves to making these fried balls with plantains. There are recipes using cassava instead of the plantains and serving them with coconut. Other recipes use mashed sweet potatoes in place of the plantains, eggs, butter or fat, water or milk, and coat the balls with breadcrumbs. They are then fried to be served with meat or fish stew.
Grilled Ripe Plantain