African Food and Art

This blog explores the wisdom of African proverbs, the depth of folklore, the beauty of art, the stories of history, and the flavors of timeless African food recipes.

Two Ingredients Grilled Sweet Plantains

Two Ingredients Grilled Sweet Plantains

Boli is a popular street food recipe of Nigeria. Whole sweet plantains are grilled and sold on street corners or in traffic by African street hawkers.



African street food hawkers know how to grill sweet plantains perfectly.

African street food hawkers teach how to grill sweet plantains perfectly.
Boli grilled sweet plantains


Boli Two Ingredients Grilled Sweet Plantains Recipe


Ingredients
4 large ripe yellow plantains
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Peel the plantains leave whole and place on top of grill. Grill plantains over very low coals for about 5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Plantains on sale at market in Ibadan Nigeria
Plantains on sale at market in Ibadan Nigeria

The street food trade or street hawking is a very popular trade in Ibadan Nigeria and sometimes the only way for some Nigerians to make a living. Many African families rely on hawking as the sole source of income. Ibadan is the capital and most populous city of Oyo State, Nigeria. With a population of over 3 million, it is the third most populous city in Nigeria Africa.

Plantains on sale at market in Ibadan Nigeria
Plantains on sale at market in Ibadan Nigeria


Plantains are an important food in West and Central Africa. They are an important ingredient of many dishes and the leaves of can be used as a source of fiber for thread, cloth string, thread or can be used as thatch and roofing due to the huge leaves that can reach up to 9 feet in length and 2 feet in width which wrap around the trunk of the plantain tree. Plantation trees can grow for 25 years producing fruit and reach heights up to 30 feet.

One hundred or more different varieties of plantain grow in Africa. Uganda is the largest producer of plantains followed by Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Plantain trees botanical name Musa paradisiaca produce starchy cooking fruit however plantains are distinguished from bananas by their fruit which, although from the naked eye look very similar to bananas, are actually longer, firmer and possess a higher starch content and thicker skin.

Plantains are eaten as a vegetable cooked prior to eating, treated in much the same way as potatoes and with a similar neutral flavor and texture when the unripe fruit is cooked by steaming, boiling or frying. Green plantains are simply the younger immature stage of the plantain fruit. 

Plantains are one of the primary staple foods of West and Central Africa sometimes eaten with fish or meat. Plantains are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins A, C and B group as well as minerals such as calcium and iron. Plantains provide up to 35 percent of the total calories in the diets of Africans. 


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