Save Overripe Plantains by turning them to Plantain Puff Puff!

If you are the kind that buys plantain and forget them until they are overripe and almost squashy then this post is for you. Plantains are almost the love of my life so I always have them in my pantry. This one time I bought an almost ripe plantain and forgot about them until a certain day when I felt something soggy and realized it was overripe and past the frying or boiling phase. While thinking of what to do with the plantains, I decided to air them on the counter to prevent further ripening.

  What to do?!! What would you think of??

Looking through my pantry and at the sight of flour and nutmeg plantain puff puff (African Beignet) came to mind and yes I went for it. Bear in mind that I had no idea that there was something of such. Apparently a friend of mine just told me that these plantain puff puffs are usually served as small chops (finger food) at Nigerian weddings. My sole purpose of adding plantains to the regular puff puff recipe was to eliminate the use of Artificial sugar by replacing it with the natural sugar from the overripe plantains. That was my brilliant thought in proponent to healthy eating awareness.

Lets find out Foodies!!!!

Ingredients:

• 250g of all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 3 Overripe plantains
• 2 teaspoons of Instant Yeast
• 3 pinches of salt
• Lukewarm water for mixing
• Vegetable Oil for frying.

Note:

If you use the tiny pebble yeast, mix it with lukewarm water and set aside. This would be added alongside water to the puff puff. If your yeast is in the powdered form just as I have here, then you'd have to add directly into the flour with other dry ingredients. 


Directions:

• Put the overripe plantains into a bowl and mash until you achieve an extremely smooth consistency
• Put the flour into a bowl and add the nutmeg, powdered yeast, mashed plantains and salt. Mix all together. 
• Add water in small quantities while mixing everything using your hand until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the yeast mixed in lukewarm water (If these applies to you). 
• It is always advisable to use warm water to mix your ingredients if you want it to rise at a fast pace.
• Continue mixing using an electric mixer (if available) till the batter is smooth but not overly watery.






masher and electric mixer

• Cover the bowl of mixture with an aluminum foil ensuring that it is airtight. 






• Leave to rise for about 40 - 45 minutes. The batter is ready to be fried when you notice that it has risen in quantity with some air bubbles. 
• Pour some oil into a deep pot and heat up to 170 degree Celsius - The oil should be 3 - 4 inches deep so that the puff puff can float while frying. 

• Test to confirm if the oil is ready by putting a drop of batter into the oil. If it frizzles and float then it is ready else it would sink and remain there.

• Scoop the batter into the oil using your hand or a scooping spoon. Keep in mind to avoid overcrowding the batter as this would give space for the batter to fry deeply.
• As soon as the bottom of the batter turns golden brown, flip the top side to fry.
• Once both sides are golden brown, take out the puff puff and place in a sieve. You can place sheets of paper towel into the sieve to help absorb extra oil from the puff puff.
• Voila!!!! Your plantain puff puff is ready!!! You can serve with any refrigerated drink of your choice.

• Garnish using confectionary sugar if you wish. (This is optional)

For your catering services, you can reach me through @dishesbyq@gmail.com

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Food quotes: One cannot think well, sleep well, love well if one has not dined well.

                                                                                                               Virginia Woolf

References:

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