When you bring out a platter with giant, juicy prawns. everyone knows you mean business. Coupled with plantain, and this is bound to be a hit. It is based around the idea of a deconstructed Efo Riro, housed on crowd-pleasing dodo, and topped with swag-conferring prawns. To eat, these feel like very satisfying canapés, super savoury and more-ish. Great to reach for as you sip wine and enjoy the conversation.

 

Ingredients

12 large raw prawns 

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 – 3 ripe but firm plantains, sliced into thickish diagonals

Salt to taste

1 bouquet fresh kale washed and sliced (or spinach or any other dark leafy green)

1/4 onion finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon powdered crayfish

Chilli flakes for garnishing

2 cups olive or sunflower oil for frying

Method

1. Start with the kale. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan, and then add the onion followed quickly by the kale.Stir fry for a minute, and then season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Add a pinch of powdered crayfish. Once it is well combined, take it off the fire – you don’t want it to go limp. Set aside.
2. Now, do the prawns. Season them with lime and salt and 2 teaspoons of oil, and then shallow fry in a griddle pan, turning over once until both sides are cooked. If you don’t have a griddle pan you can use a regular non-stick frying pan. 
3. Make the dodo by peeling the plantain, cutting it into thick oblongs, and frying in the remaining oil. 
4. Finally, assemble the stacks by placing a piece of plantain down first, layering with the stir-fried kale, and topping with a prawn. Build all the stacks and then sprinkle the platter with chilli flakes. 

 

 

This recipe is from Season 1 Episode 1 of Minjiba Entertains, commissioned by The Africa Channel and showing on RealTime DSTV Channel 155, Emirates in-Flight Entertainment, Amazon Prime, and Demand Africa.