flipDodo — Fried Ripe Plantains
Dodo — Fried Ripe Plantains
Why this dish? Fried plantain appears explicitly among Adichie's foods; in Nigeria, dodo accompanies almost every meal of the day and is casually snacked on.
Slices of very ripe plantain, pan-fried until their sugars caramelize: crispy at the edges, soft in the center, both sweet and slightly salty.
Dodo is childhood. We always wanted it riper, almost black, because that's when it's sweetest. Choose a plantain spotted with black — a green one will give you nothing but bitterness and disappointment. A pinch of salt, a splash of hot oil, and you have the simplest happiness in Nigeria, the kind you eat standing in the kitchen while waiting for the rest to be ready.
- •Very ripe plantains — as needed (sweet base)
- •Palm or peanut oil — for frying (cooking)
- •Salt — a pinch (contrast)
Dodo — Fried Ripe Plantains
Slices of very ripe plantain, pan-fried until their sugars caramelize: crispy at the edges, soft in the center, both sweet and slightly salty.
Why this dish? Fried plantain appears explicitly among Adichie's foods; in Nigeria, dodo accompanies almost every meal of the day and is casually snacked on.
Dodo is childhood. We always wanted it riper, almost black, because that's when it's sweetest. Choose a plantain spotted with black — a green one will give you nothing but bitterness and disappointment. A pinch of salt, a splash of hot oil, and you have the simplest happiness in Nigeria, the kind you eat standing in the kitchen while waiting for the rest to be ready.
Ingredients (period version)
- Very ripe plantains — as needed (sweet base)
- Palm or peanut oil — for frying (cooking)
- Salt — a pinch (contrast)
Ingredients
- Very ripe plantains (skin spotted black) — 3 (sweet base)
- Neutral vegetable oil — for shallow frying (cooking)
- Fine salt — 1 pinch (salty contrast)
Method
- Peel the plantains and cut on the bias into slices about 1 cm thick, or into cubes.
- Lightly salt.
- Heat oil over medium heat (it should sizzle without smoking).
- Fry slices 2-3 minutes per side until a nice golden, caramelized color.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
How it was made : Plantain has been cultivated in West Africa for over a millennium. Before the modern pan, it was fried in cast-iron pots with palm oil, or grilled directly over embers (bole), especially in the Niger Delta.
The contemporary twist : Sprinkle with a pinch of chili powder and lime zest for a 'street-food revisited' dodo.
Sources : Yemisi Aribisala, Longthroat Memoirs (2016)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie · Charactorium
