Unripe plantain porridge is a hearty and easy one-pot African recipe that’s both filling and full of flavor. You might already be familiar with Nigerian plantain porridge, or maybe you’re just looking for a new way to cook with green plantains. What makes this plantain porridge recipe stand out is how it turns simple ingredients into a tasty, filling meal. The green plantains cook until softened and soak up the flavors from the sauce and seasonings.
Unripe plantain porridge is one of those meals that take me home to my roots. Whether you stick to this classic version or decide to cook it with some beans or yams, this dish brings the comforting flavors of West African cooking to your table.
This is a commonly found Nigerian plantain porridge recipe that has found its way to Jamaica. This recipe was originally published in Feb 2017.
Plantain porridge and mashed plantain recipes are quite popular within the West African region. However, as with most recipes, these vary between countries and individuals. For example, there is sese plantain or turning plantain in Cameroon.
Plantain porridge is a dish eaten by a majority of Africans. This recipe usually calls for unripe plantain. But as someone who is not a big fan of unripe plantain, I decided to purchase ripe plantains because I truly believe it gives this dish way more flavor.
Read also: Plantain recipes and cooking tips
The West African green plantain porridge is made of plantain chunks cooked in a sauce. It is different from the Haitian green plantain porridge, where it is blended and eaten as a gruel. Cameroonian plantain porridge and Nigerian plantain are usually cooked with green plantains.
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Key Benefits of Unripe Plantain Porridge:
Read also: Guide to African Porridges
- Wholesome and Filling: Green plantains are a great source of fiber and complex carbs, keeping you full for longer.
- Naturally Gluten-Free: No wheat, no problem-this is a naturally gluten-free dish.
THE BEST PLANTAIN PORRIDGE RECIPE | HOW TO MAKE NIGERIAN PLANTAIN POTTAGE |Easy Dinner Idea
Ingredients for Nigerian Plantain Porridge
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious meal:
- 6 green plantains
- 1 Yellow plantain This is optional. Peel the ripe plantain, cut it into small cubes, and set it aside.
- 1 onion - diced
- 2 lbs turkey - (smoked turkey tails), cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp palm oil - substitute with avocado oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 Stock cubes
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp curry
- 3 habanero peppers - Chopped, with seeds removed (use more or less depending on your spice preference)
- 1 tbsp crayfish - blended
- 2 cups water
For Blended Pepper Mixture:
- 2 onion - Cut into chunks for easy blending
- 2 red bell pepper - Cut into chunks for easy blending
Optional Ingredients:
- Unripe Plantains: firm green plantains are preferred.
- Kale or Spinach: Add a leafy green toward the end for added nutrition and flavor.
- Crayfish adds a nice umami flavor.
- Kale, spinach, or ugu (fluted pumpkin leaves) work well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these instructions to prepare a delicious pot of unripe plantain porridge:
Step 1: Prepare the Plantains
Peel the unripe plantains and chop them into cubes. Place them in a large pot with enough water to cover it (about 6 to 8 cups of water).
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Step 2: Initial Cooking
Add ⅓ of the diced onions, crayfish, bouillon powder to garlic powder and salt cover the pot and let it cook over medium heat. After about 10 minutes, add the diced ripe plantain to the pot. This adds a hint of natural sweetness and soft texture.
Step 3: Making the Sauce
While it cooks, start making the sauce. Heat up the palm oil on low medium heat, add the remaining ⅔ of the diced onions and the scotch bonnet pepper. Cook till the onion softens and fragrant.
Step 4: Combining Flavors
Stir in the onion sauce into the plantain porridge. Add the diced red bell peppers. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Step 5: Adding Greens
Add your greens (kale, spinach, etc.), stir, and turn off the heat. If you’re using kale, spinach, or any green vegetable, stir it in now.
Detailed Cooking Instructions
Pepper Mixture:
Place your onions and red bell peppers in a blender. Blend until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency, then set it aside for later use.
For the Main dish:
Place a medium-sized pot on medium heat and add palm oil and red onions. Sauté the onions until their red hue starts to fade.
To the pot, add smoked turkey, salt, stock cubes, ground pepper, curry, oregano, habanero peppers, and crayfish. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Pour the blended onion and bell pepper mixture into the pot. Stir and let it cook for approximately 10-15 minutes.
Add diced plantains to the pot along with about 2 cups of water. Let this cook for 30 minutes, or until the plantains are tender.
Once the plantains are tender, stir the pot's contents well to combine all the flavors.
Give it another stir and turn off the heat. This is traditionally a one pot meal. The unripe plantains give the dish structure and that familiar starchy texture.
To make this plantain porridge dish even more flavorful, I would recommend not skipping the smoked turkey and crayfish during preparation. Each time I prepare this dish with smoked turkey (which is pretty much all the time) I often find myself longing for more.
If you don’t have smoked turkey in your area, not to worry, smoked fish should work well too. However, I would only recommend that you use smoked fish if you do decide to use unripe plantain porridge or yam.
Serving and Storing
Nigerian unripe plantain porridge is a meal on its own and usually isn’t served with any sides.
You can easily serve with more protein like fried fish, air fryer chicken or fried beef.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm on the stovetop over low heat or microwave in a covered bowl.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are some common questions and variations for this recipe:
Can I make this with ripe plantains?
Ripe plantains will give a sweeter taste and softer texture, which can be enjoyable but is quite different from traditional Nigerian plantain porridge. The sweetness of the plantain works well and balances the savoury taste of the porridge, which is why some people add sugar to their yam porridge.
Is this dish vegan?
It’s not out of the box vegan. It can easily be adapted to a plant based lifestyle by using vegetable bouillon and skipping the crayfish.
Can I freeze unripe plantain porridge?
Yes, it freezes well. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Is this the same as Jamaican plantain porridge?
No, Jamaican plantain porridge is a sweet, creamy breakfast made with ripe plantains, milk, and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Nigerian plantain porridge, on the other hand, is a savory one-pot meal made with unripe plantains, vegetables, and seasonings, often served for lunch or dinner.
Can I substitute the smoked turkey tails?
Yes, you can use other types of protein like chicken or even fish. Just note that the unique smoky flavor of turkey tails adds an extra layer of depth to the dish.
Is palm oil necessary?
Palm oil gives the dish its authentic West African flavor. However, if you are looking for a healthier alternative, avocado oil works well as a substitute.
How spicy is this recipe?
The recipe calls for cayenne pepper and habanero peppers, both of which add heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, you can adjust the amount to your preference or omit them entirely. If you enjoy the sweet and savoury combination of yam porridge with plantain.
I like to add one ripe plantain to my unripe plantain porridge. It adds flavor and makes it easier for kids to enjoy it.
Tips for the Perfect Porridge
Here are some tips to ensure your plantain porridge turns out perfectly:
- While preparing this recipe, it’s important you add enough water to cook the plantain. I suggest adding enough quantity of water to cover the plantain when you’re about to boil it in the sauce.
- You don’t want your plantain coming out very hard, so make sure you give it more time to cook.
- However, be careful not to add too much water so your porridge doesn’t end up very mushy.
This green plantain porridge is healthy, delicious, versatile and very quick to make.
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