Dodo, golden fried ripe plantain

Plan a week with Nigerian dishes

Let's cook

1. Cut the two ends off each plantain. Run the tip of a knife down the length of the skin along one ridge, without cutting deep, then push your thumb under the skin and peel it away.
2. Cut each plantain on a slant into slices about 1cm thick. Slanted slices give longer, prettier pieces with more golden surface.
3. Pour the oil into a large frying pan so it is about 1cm deep. Heat it on a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Test it with one slice: it should bubble gently around the edges straight away.
4. Lay the slices in the pan in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Do this in two or three batches so the pan is not crowded, or the plantain turns greasy instead of crisp.
5. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is deep golden, then turn each slice with a fork or tongs and fry the other side for 2 minutes more. Very ripe plantain browns fast, so turn the heat down a little if it darkens too quickly.
6. Lift the slices out onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Sprinkle with the salt while they are hot and serve warm.

Tips

• The riper the plantain, the sweeter the dodo. Skins that are mostly black are perfect; firm yellow ones are less sweet but still good.
• Never leave hot oil on the hob unattended, and let it cool fully in the pan before you pour it away.
• Dodo is best eaten within an hour. Leftovers can be warmed in a dry frying pan for 2 minutes on each side until hot through.

Swaps

• Less oil: brush the slices with 2 tablespoons of oil and bake on a lined tray at 220C (200C fan) for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.
• A little heat: dust the hot dodo with a pinch of cayenne pepper with the salt.

More in the Nigerian meal plan

Our own recipe. The photograph is AI-generated.