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Sese Plantains ( Porridge ) – a popular Cameroonian and West African everyday meal that is brimming with flavors from plantains, meat and spices, and seasonings.
A family-friendly one-pot meal!
What is Sese Plantain?
Sese Plantain is also known as Sese Planti, Turning Planti, unripe plantain porridge, or porridge plantains. The name “sese” refers to the motion of stirring the plantains as they cook.
It is a one-pot plantain dish with red palm oil, crayfish, and other delicious ingredients
This everyday one-pot meal is frequently dished- up in most households in Cameroon and throughout West Africa.
Sese Plantains Recipe
This recipe is very simple and easy to make. It can be simple with only plantains, palm oil, salt, and crayfish or elaborate with fish, meat (any variety), and vegetables.
Here are the basic ingredients you need;
1. Green plantains. The plantains used in Sese Plantains are unripe which means they should be green and firm to the touch.
2. Red Palm Oil. Red Palm Oil is one of the healthiest oils out there. It is sustainably sourced and widely used in West African cuisine.
Red Palm Oil gives West African dishes a distinct taste and bright orange color. It adds so much flavor to Sese Plantains. Vegetable oil or other neutral oils won’t cut it here.
3. Leafy greens. Traditionally, a leafy green called bitter leaf is added to this recipe. You can use spinach instead as a substitute.
4. Salt. For flavor
5. Leafy greens. Traditionally, a leafy green called bitter leaf is added to Sese Plantain. But since I can’t get fresh bitter leaf I used baby spinach instead. I love using baby spinach because I don’t have to pick the leaves from the stem.
6. Salt. For flavor
To make, If using a tough cut of meat- like goat meat or shank meat, you have to boil the meat first, before starting the dish. Then, the plantain is slowly cooked in the meat stock until a tender and succulent meal.
Be Sure to Try These Other Cameroon Dishes!
Sese Plantains is smoky, so flavorful and so hearty. Hope you enjoy this sese plantain recipe!
SESE PLANTAINS (CAMEROON)
Ingredients
- 2 large green plantains
- 10 1 ⁄2 cups water
- 2 medium tomatoes peeled and chopped
- hot pepper to taste
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 1 ⁄2 cube vegetable stock optional
- 1 tablespoon palm oil
- salt to taste
- roasted cashew nuts to garnish
Instructions
- Cut the plantains up into 6 pieces each. Bring the water to a boil and add the plantains. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the tomatoes, pepper and onion.
- Simmer for 10 more minutes, then add the stock cube. Cover the pot and give the cube about five minutes to dissolve, then add the palm oil.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cashews and serve.
