Green Plantain and Sweet Potato Pottage

Plantain is a stable food item in my home especially with my kids. Recently my husband developed an affinity with green plantain (unripe plantain) he wants it as part of his meal at least twice a week. I get the whole eating healthy stuff and the need to eliminate some high glycemic meals. The only snag is that green plantain has no sugar and is not a sweet meal so getting my kids to eat it is usually a tug of war. Hence the addition of sweet potatoes, which gives it the right amount of sweetness.

Ingredients

7 medium to large size green plantain

1 large sweet potato

1 medium smoked fish

2 tbsp crayfish, dry blended

1 large onion

1/8 cup or1 large cooking spoon palm oil

1 cup shredded ugu about 1 small bunch

Seasoning

Salt to taste

1. Peel the skin of the plantain, it’s easier to hold the plantain vertically. Give it a straight cut from top to bottom then gently use your fingers or the knive to lift off the skin. Cut each plantain into 5 or 6 round pieces. Peel the potato and cut into large chunks about 2 to 3 times larger than the plantains.

2. Wash the peeled plantains and potatoes and place in a pot over medium heat. Add enough water to just cover them do not pour too much to totally cover them some of the vegetables should be sticking out of the water. Too much water would make the pottage watery.

3. Add the sliced onions and palm oil, bring to a boil.

4. Next put the washed dry smoked fish, crayfish and the seasoning

5. Stir at intervals with a wooden spoon this would help to thicken the sauce.

6.       Boil until the plantains are tender and the water is reduced to form a thick sauce by now the potatoes should be tender.

7. I like to add the sliced fresh pepper at this point; I like to see little flakes of pepper.

8. Salt and finally add the ugu and give it one last stir. Turn off the heat after a minute

9. Serve.

Tip: The use of wooden spoon rather than metal to stir helps to keep the bottom of the pot from burning the food

Peperroni Pizza

Homemade pizza is the best. Some store bought pizza are so not it especialy here in Nigeria.

I once bought a pizza from a shop at the mall with the expectation to have a delicious lunch at hand for the kids once they returned from school. My older daughter took one bite and asked me "did you get this from a sugar factory"?

The pizza tasted like it was dipped in high fructose corn syrup then rolled in sugar? I couldn"t understand how they took a pizza and turned it into a dessert.

I realize that making the dough is what keeps people from making pizza. Pizza dough is super easy to make and once you make a batch you can freeze it and have a dough at hand to whip up a pizza any time you want. Just bring it out from the freezer and thaw on the kitchen counter or do it more slowly in the refigerator.

Here is the recipe for my go to pizza dough even if you dont have a mixer you can knead this by hand it isn't difficult.

Pizza Dough

500g plain flour
300ml lukewarm water
100 ml oil
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp salt


I start by mixing the yeast and sugar with the water mix it very well to dissolve the yeast let it stand for about 10 minutes to prove.  Yeast needs sugar to grow even if you don't want to add sugar to the dough add a little to 'feed' the yeast.

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour pour in the yeast mixture and the oil. Using your hands combine the dough together.

If you have a mixer you can now knead it until smooth and elastic. If you don't have a mixer cover it in the bowl and allow to rise for about 40 minutes.then knead with your hand for about 7 minutes. Don't be discouraged about kneading with your hand consider it your bicep exercise for the day. * I smile* remember to dust the kneading surface with flour to keep it from sticking.

If you used a mixer, oil a bowl,  place the dough inside the bowl and cover allow to rise for about 40 minutes. At this stage if you don't want to make pizza you can freeze the dough.

Divide the dough into 2 balls and roll each ball into a large circle using a rolling pin. If you don't have a rolling pin you can stretch out the dough with your hand flip to the other side and stretch it out some more until you have a nice circle. The dough is smooth and pliable so you can easily strecth with your hands. You can freeze the other ball or use it all to make pizza after all  na beanz that you are making pizza. Dust your pizza tray with a little flour and place the dough on it set aside.


Peperroni Pizza

2 Peperroni links ( I used beef suasage)
150 g Mozzeralla cheese
1TBSP sweet corn
1/2 cup pizza sauce ( I used our Nigerian styled stew just add a teaspoon of sugar)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dry oregon
1 tsp black pepper
Good pinch of salt

Pre heat the oven to 200c. Spread the sauce on the prepared pizza dough sprinkle the shreddered cheese on the sauce, put the suasages and sweet corn on top of the cheese.

Finally sprinkle the garlic, oregano, pepper and salt drizzle a little oil on top of the pizza and pop into the oven. Bake until golden I like to bake my pizza with the grill setting of my oven it grills the topping perfectly though I over grilled this pizza but it was delicious.


 Tips: If you bought a big package of yeast put it in a container  with a tight lid and freeze. Dry yeast can go bad if left out in the open especially with our hot weather.