Here is Part 2 of our ‘plantain information series’!

To boil unpeeled green plantain, cut the plantain into equal lengths of about ten cm.  Wash and place them in a pot with enough cold water to cover.  Cook until soft.  Remove the skin and arrange on a serving dish.  Sprinkle with African Plate Cameroon Pepper and serve hot with boiled beans.

Pounded green plantain (called Obubu Fiai in Ijaw) is prepared by cutting on ripe and 2 unripe plantains into 2/3 pieces each.  Put them into a pot with enough water to cover and cook until soft.  Peel and blend the unripe plantain.  Peel and blend the ripe plantain and then mix it with the unripe blended plantain.  Add salt and vegetable oil to the mix.  Shape them into individual rounded servings and serve as a form of ‘swallow’. Among the Kolo-kumas of the Ijaws, this food is for the Gods, wealthy people and the newly circumcised.

To prepare boiled ripe plantain and cooked cassava starch (Eguo-bobo) you boil the ripe plantain until soft.  Prepare cooked cassava starch.  Blend the plantain and starch together and serve with Banga Soup.

Now for the King……DODO!!  This is fried ripe plantain as shown in the photo accompanying this article.  The plantain to be used for dodo must be ripe or even over-ripe.  Remove the skin of the plantain.  Cut into round or lengthwise thin slices (1/4 cm thick) or into large/small chunks.  Season lightly with salt.  Heat the vegetable oil 1cm deep in a frying pan.  Fry the plantain one layer at a time so as not to reduce the heat and to prevent the pieces from sticking to each other.  When they are light to medium brown on both sides, remove them from the oil and drain.  Serve hot.  Children love dodo!

Plantain flour is used traditionally in several ways.  It can be used as a substitute for wheat flour in breads and biscuits.  Peel the ripe plantain and slice very thinly.  Dry on a tray until crisp.  Blend in a mill blender to produce a fine flour.  Green banana flour can be prepared in the same way.