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PLANTAIN MASH WITH GINGER CORN AND OKRA GRAVY

When I want something similar to Okele (see previous page) but don’t want to spend quite as much time making it, I turn to mash. Plantain mash is sweet, light and velvety. In this recipe, I’ve paired it with corn seasoned with ginger, and gravy made from okra. Cumin features heavily in the flavouring of this dish – it’s used lots in African and Caribbean cooking, often as part of curry powder blends. I love how its earthy taste blends with the sweet, mellowness of the plantain. Serve on its own or with Mum’s Grilled Chicken Drumsticks.

PREP TIME: 15 MINS

COOKING TIME: 25 MINS

SERVES: 4

3 yellow plantains, peeled and halved

100ml rice milk

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp onion granules

1 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

grains of paradise, to serve (optional)

FOR THE GRAVY

1 tbsp coconut oil

8 okra fingers, wiped and finely chopped

3 mushrooms, finely chopped

1 tbsp plain flour

250ml vegetable stock

salt and black pepper

FOR THE CORN

4 corn cobbettes or 2 halved corn cobs

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

For the gravy, melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the okra along with the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the flour and coat the vegetables before slowly pouring in the vegetable stock, whisking vigorously to combine well. Reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for 10 minutes until the gravy has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and use tongs to drop in the corn. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the coconut oil with the ginger, nutmeg, and some salt and pepper. When the corn is ready, take it out of the pan using tongs and toss with the ginger oil mix.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the plantains. After 10 minutes, or when the plantains turn bright yellow and can easily be pierced with a fork, drain them and mash them in the pan with the back of a fork or a potato masher until they’re smooth. Return the pan to the heat and add the rice milk, coconut oil, onion granules, garlic granules, turmeric, cumin and cayenne pepper. Mix until well combined.

Distribute the mash and corn evenly on to plates, drizzle with the okra and mushroom gravy and sprinkle with a few grains of paradise, if using. Serve immediately.