I
t’s January 2020, and I have just visited Paapa’s house in Kumasi, Ghana. We just harvested some plantains from our tree. I am brainstorming a name for my new Pan-African concept, which I’ve been developing on Post-it notes and in my mind. My only requirement is for the name to reflect my favorite ingredient, the plantain. I believe it symbolizes the black experience both at home and in the diaspora. Later, we enjoy those plantains as delicious tatale, also known as plantain pancakes. From that point on, history is made…
Tatale (spicy plantain pancakes)
I adore tatale as a standalone dish or as part of a brunch spread, accompanied by pico de gallo and roast mushrooms. They also pair wonderfully with red red, a traditional Ghanaian stew. Although tatale are often served with bambara beans, they can be hard to find in the UK, so I substitute them with black-eyed beans.
Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4-6
700g overripe plantains (mostly or completely black skins)
80g brown onion, roughly chopped
2-3 spring onions (20g), roughly chopped (save whites for another use)
20g peeled ginger, roughly chopped
¼-½ garlic clove (10g), peeled
½-1 scotch bonnet chilli (10g) – Remove and discard seeds and pith for milder heat
25g plain flour, sieved
Salt
Red palm oil or coconut oil for frying (sustainably sourced)
1 avocado
Place the peeled plantains in a bowl and mash them until they are extremely soft. I use a traditional Ghanaian asanka, but any large bowl will suffice.
In a food processor, combine the onion, spring onion greens, ginger, garlic, and chilli. Pulse until you achieve a chunky salsa-like consistency, ensuring some texture remains. Fold this mixture into the mashed plantains.
Gradually fold in half of the sieved flour into the plantain mixture, then repeat with the remaining half. The result should be a thick batter. Season with salt to taste.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat, making sure to coat the pan evenly. Once hot, drop four large spoonfuls of batter into the pan (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan), keeping them well-spaced. Use the back of a ladle to flatten each spoonful into pancakes about 10cm wide and 1cm thick. Cook for three to four minutes, until the bases are beautifully golden brown, then flip and repeat on the other side.
Meanwhile, halve and pit the avocado, then carefully peel it while maintaining its natural shape. Divide each half into quarters, lengthwise but not cutting through the tip. Gently separate the slices to create avocado fans.
Serve the cooked pancakes on four plates, garnishing each with avocado fans. Now, you can savor and enjoy your tatale!
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