Baked Kelewele

This is a simple baked Kelewele recipe that anyone can prepare. It’s rich, spicy, and delicious, yet the coated spices give it a slight crunch on the outside. Serve this Ghanaian delicacy to your friends and family on any occasion, and watch as they beg for more.

If you’ve ever gone to Accra or anyplace else in Ghana, you’re probably familiar with Kelewgele! Kelewele is a famous Ghanaian dish made of spiced fried plantains. You can find it on most Ghanaian street corners. It’s delicious when served with roasted peanuts. It is also known as “hot plantain crisps” in English.

For simple plantain recipes, also check out, Air Fryer Plantains, Baked Plantain, and Mangu. 

Street vendors generally sell Kelewele at night in Accra and by countrywomen in the afternoon. It can be eaten with beans, peanuts, or as a dessert alone. Kelewele is a popular dinner option as well.

Although Kelewele is a Ghanaian dish, it has been popularized in America thanks to various recipe books. Fried plantains, known as Kelewele, may be found all over the world, including Nigeria (where it’s known as dodo), the Caribbean, Asia, and South America, but this dish is 100% Ghanaian! See my favorite Ghanain rice Jollof Rice.

Spices may vary, depending on who is preparing the meal. Everyone seems to have their unique spice blend, but the essentials are salt, pepper, and ginger. Of course, anything above and beyond that is a flair!

Is Kelewele Healthy?

Yes! Apart from its delectable taste Kelewele is also a healthy dish. Because of its popularity among vegetarians, Kelewele is frequently referred to as “vegetarian meat” in Ghana. Kelewele is made with ripe plantains, peeled & cut into little cubes, and flavored with spices. Some people complain that Kelewele is overly oily. Here I share a Baked Kewell 

Now let’s talk about the nutrition of plantains for a moment!

Plantains are less sweet and starchier, unlike bananas. Plantains are often bigger, harder, and have thicker skin than bananas. They can be green, yellow, or deep brown. While sweet bananas, commonly referred to as “dessert bananas,” are far more popular in the USA or Europe, plantains are a critical staple food in tropical countries. Plantains are usually cooked before being eaten, unlike dessert bananas. Don’t be fooled by their banana-like appearance; they taste awful raw.

Cooked plantains are equivalent to potatoes in terms of calories, but they have more vitamins and minerals. Fiber, vitamin A, C, & B-6, and magnesium, minerals, and potassium, are all abundant in them. In addition, plantains have a low fat and sodium content.  Thus they should be used as part of a well-balanced diet. See Plantain/Banana Nutrition.

Plantains’ resistant starches and nutrients provide several health benefits, including:

Improve Digestive Health

Plantains are beneficial to digestive health for two reasons. Firstly, the resistant starch functions as a prebiotic, encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon. Second, plantains are high in fiber, which helps to enhance digestive function. Fiber softens and bulks out your feces. Bulky stools are considerably easier to pass and so help prevent constipation.

A high-fiber diet can also help prevent hemorrhoids and diverticular disease, which causes tiny pouches in the large intestine. Fiber also makes you feel fuller longer, slows your digestion, and may even help lower your cholesterol levels.

Helps Control Blood Sugar

Plantains contain a high concentration of resistant starch, which does not increase blood sugar levels like other forms of fiber. Instead, plantains’ resistant starch aids glycemic control by slowing digestion, increasing satiety, and strengthening “good” gut bacteria.

Good for Heart Health

The high potassium content of plantains is necessary for the proper functioning of the cells and fluids that regulate your blood pressure and heart rate. In addition, plantains’ fiber helps decrease cholesterol, which keeps your heart in good working order.

Prevent from Chronic Diseases

In a single cup of plantains, you’ll get a substantial portion of your daily vitamin C requirement. This vitamin is an antioxidant that may aid in the improvement of your immune system. In addition, it may help to protect your body from free radical damage linked to aging, heart disease, and potentially certain types of cancer as an antioxidant Vitamin C intake has been linked to a lower risk of lung, colon, stomach, breast esophageal, and other cancers in studies.

Helps Prevent Anemia

Plantains are high in vitamin C and Iron, two minerals that help in improving absorption. Although iron from plants is not always as easily absorbed as iron from animal sources, vitamin C boosts its bioavailability. Fatigue, difficulty concentrating, reduced immunity, and poor temperature regulation are all symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. Plantains can assist you in avoiding this common ailment.

Weight Management

Carbohydrates aren’t generally detrimental for weight loss, unlike popular opinion. This is because plantains provide complex carbohydrates in the form of fiber and starch. Complex carbohydrates and fiber are less processed than simple carbohydrates found in processed foods and digested more slowly. As a result, they keep you full and more pleased for a long time after a meal.

How to Make Kelewele?

To prepare this crispy, delicious, and healthy dish, you’ll require the following ingredients and steps to follow: See How To Peel Plantain?

Ingredients

• Plantains – I used ripe plantains and then cut them into small bite-sized pieces marinated with spices. 
• Avocado oil – I used avocado oil, traditionally palm oil is used for this recipe.
• Salt – I used Himalayan salt.
• Cinnamon – gives a great flavor, you can use other spices like cardamom, nutmeg, allspice. 
• Ginger  – fresh ginger is the best in this recipe. 
• Nutmeg – I used African Calabash Nutmeg
• Garlic powder – garlic and onion powder for flavor.
• Onion powder
• Cayenne pepper – gives a nice spicy kick.
• Roasted peanuts – used for garnishing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper, lightly spray or brush with oil.
3. Peel ripe plantains, cut them into bite-sized pieces.
4. Toss with oil, salt, cinnamon, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
5. Place plantain on a baking sheet in a single layer.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway
7. Serve platter, garnish with peanuts.

Serving Suggestions

You can enjoy Kelewele in any way you like. Following are some of the suggestions:

• Serve your Kelewele with Instant Pot black beans for a delectable sweet and salty combination.

Recipe Notes

• Because Kelewele is a delightful plantain snack, the ripest plantains should be used. Yellow ones that are soft but stiff and not mushy. The sugar in the mature plantains caramelizes, resulting in a delicious coating.
• You can refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container and use them for up to a week.

Other Plantain Recipes To Prepare

1. Plantain Bread
2. Vegan Pastelon
3. Plantain Fritters
4. Vegan Plantain Porridge
5. Plantain Dumplings Stew
6. Mashed Ripe Plantains
7. Cajun Plaintain Fries
8. All My Favorite Plantain Recipes

This Kelewele is a delectable dish you must try, and if you do, please leave a comment so we can discuss this delectable plantain delicacy!

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