Ingredients
Plantain
- 4very ripe plantains, skins mostly black
- 1onion, grated or very finely chopped
- 2cm ginger, grated
- 1hot chilli, finely chopped
To bind
- 150 gplain flour
- or 150 g maize flour
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 1/2 teaspoonground nutmeg, optional
- a little water, if needed
To fry
- palm oil or neutral oil, for shallow frying
To serve
- roasted groundnuts
- beans stewed in palm oil
- or on their own as a snack
Directions
- Put them in a paper bag to speed it up. This is the one recipe that wants them almost too far gone. Cut off both ends and peel the skin back. Put the flesh into a large bowl. Mash it thoroughly with a fork or a masher. It should be smooth with a few small lumps.
- Grate the onion straight into the bowl. Add the grated ginger and the chopped chilli. Add the nutmeg if you are using it. Add the salt to the bowl as well.
- Mix everything through the mashed plantain. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture gradually. Stir it in gradually as you go. Stop when the batter holds together. Add a splash of water if it is too stiff. Add a little more flour if it is too loose.
- Cover the bowl and leave it for thirty minutes. Some households leave it for several hours. Heat oil in a wide frying pan to a shallow depth. Heat the oil over a medium heat. Do not let the pan get too hot.
- Drop spoonfuls of batter into the pan. Flatten each one slightly with the back of the spoon. Make them about eight centimetres across. Fry them for three minutes on the first side. Do not move them while they colour. Turn them once with a spatula.
- Fry the second side for two or three minutes. They should be deep brown and firm. Break one open to check the first batch. Draining them keeps them from being greasy.
- Lift them out onto kitchen paper. Let them drain for a minute or two. Fry the rest of them in batches. Adjust the heat if they are browning too fast. Serving them is done hot or warm. Pile them onto a serving plate. Serve roasted groundnuts alongside. They keep a day and are good cold. Warm them briefly in a pan to serve again.
Technique
- Tatale is a way of using plantains that have gone past frying, and the sweetness of very ripe fruit is essential to it.
- It is eaten across Ghana and appears in Togo and Benin under related names.
Substitutions
- Maize flour or a mixture of maize and wheat flour both work as the binder.
- Very ripe bananas are not a substitute and are too soft to hold together.
Variations
- Some households add a beaten egg for a richer pancake.
- A version with ground dried shrimp is made in some coastal areas.
- Kaklo is a related Ghanaian fried plantain ball made from a similar batter.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tatale?
Tatale is a snack from Ghana: spiced overripe-plantain pancakes.
How long does Tatale take to make?
Tatale takes 20 minutes plus resting of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 12 pancakes. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Tatale?
Yes, within limits. Maize flour or a mixture of maize and wheat flour both work as the binder. Very ripe bananas are not a substitute and are too soft to hold together.
What is the most important thing to get right in Tatale?
Cover the bowl and leave it for thirty minutes. Some households leave it for several hours. Heat oil in a wide frying pan to a shallow depth. Heat the oil over a medium heat. Do not let the pan get too hot.
