Healthy African Snack 1: Roasted Plantain.

Local name: Boli (Yoruba, Nigeria)

Roasted plantain is eaten everywhere plantain is found or grown. Ripe or unripe plantain can be used. The difference will be in the sweetness and texture as ripe plantains are sweeter and softer. 

100g of plantain has about 122 calories.

Preparing roasted plantain is easy and takes about 15 minutes to roast. They can also be baked or grilled. Below is how to grill or bake plantain;

1. Remove the skin.
2. Cut into two halves or leave whole.
3. Place on the barbeque grid or on a lined cookie sheet in the oven.
4. Grill or bake for 8 minutes.
5. Turn the plantain to the other side and heat for another 7 mins.

In Nigeria, roasted plantain is eaten with;

• Roasted groundnut or peanuts.
• Pepper sauce made from scotch pepper, bell pepper, palm oil, onions and salt.
• Salted palm oil.
• Pepper and vegetable sauce. Leafy vegetables like fluted pumpkin leaves, utazi, etc. are added to the pepper sauce.
• Roasted fish and pepper sauce.

If using roasted fish, both are usually roasted or baked together and take almost the same time to cook. Mackerel fish is the most common one used. Read here about the benefits of mackerel fish.

Roasted plantain is usually eaten from around midday to early evening. You can read more about the nutrients and health benefits of plantains here. It can be used as a snack or meal.

Please share healthy snacks or meals below or send to yvonnebosede06@gmail.com. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell.