How To Make Unripe Plantain Pottage

Unripe plantain pottage is a popular pottage dish in Nigeria, made with plantains. Plantains are the less sweet, starchier equivalent to bananas. But unlike bananas, plantains need to be cooked before eating. 

Cooked plantain is high in antioxidants and vitamins. It also generates a slow release of glucose and lowers cholesterol. Thus, plantain pottage is ideal for people with diabetes. 

This recipe uses only unripe plantain, which contains less sugar than ripe plantain. However, if you want a sweeter pottage, you can use half part unripe plantain and half part ripe plantain.

Ingredients

• 5-8 Unripe plantains (depending on the size)
• Smoked fish
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 1/2 cup crayfish 
• 5-8 Scotch bonnet chillies (depending on your heat tolerance) 
• Small bunch scent leaves (clove basil)
• 1/2 cup palm oil 
• 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr or Maggi)
• Salt – to taste

Procedure

1. Peel and dice your plantains, break your fish into smaller bits, chop the onions, slice the scent leaves and blend the crayfish & chillies.

2. Add your plantains to a pot along with your chopped onions, blended chillies, and crayfish, seasoning cubes, and salt. Add enough water to cover (the water should be on the same level as the plantains) and cook on medium heat for 15mins.

3. After 15mins, the plantain should be boiling. Add your palm oil and smoked fish. Cover and cook till the plantains are soft and mashable.

4. Finally, add your scent leaves to the pot. Turn off the heat immediately; cover the pot and leave for 2-3mins (the residual heat will cook the scent leaves).

   After about 2 minutes, stir everything together and serve!

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