Ghanaian spicy fried plantain (Kelewele)

1. Peel the ripe (yellow, spotted) plantains and cut them into 2 cm cubes or diagonal pieces.

2. Blend the ginger, onion, chilli powder, ground cloves and salt with 1-2 tablespoons of water to a smooth paste.

3. Toss the plantain pieces well with the spice paste and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

4. Heat the oil to 175 °C in a pan.

5. Fry the plantain in batches for 4-5 minutes until deep brown, caramelised and crisp outside.

6. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with roasted peanuts, as a snack or a side dish.

Tip: Kelewele is Ghana's popular evening street snack; on the streets of Accra it is fried in pots of hot oil set over charcoal. The riper the plantain, the sweeter and more caramelised it gets, nicely balancing the heat of the ginger and chilli. Don't be afraid of plantains with blackening skin: they are the best for kelewele.