Plantain Fritters (Klako)

A plateful of sweet and savory plantain fritters called klako.

These golden, crispy bites are a great way to use extremely ripe black plantains. Delightfully crusty on the outside and tender on the inside, they're a savory little miracle that's gluten-free and vegan.

Makes 2-3 dozen

Course Snack

Cuisine African

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 176kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

1 cup (210g) or more brown rice (rice, oatmeal, and whole wheat flour also work)
3 large overly ripe plantains or bananas
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
¾ teaspoon (4-5g) salt (adjust to preference)
1 teaspoon (5g) minced garlic
½ teaspoon (2-3g) grated fresh ginger
½-1 teaspoon (1-2g) cayenne pepper or pepper sauce (depending on your tolerance level)
⅛ cup (12g) finely chopped onions (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons (12-13g) green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (3-4g) chopped fresh parsley
cooking oil for frying

Instructions

If using brown or white rice, grind it in a coffee grinder until finely ground or use any flour. (Rice flour works as well.)
Mash plantains with a potato masher or spoon until puree, or use a food processor to blend. Put it in a medium bowl.
Add the rice, baking powder, salt, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper to the mashed plantains. Stir in onions, green onions, and parsley until fully combined.
Adjust seasonings to taste; you may want to fry one up first to do a test taste.
Heat oil to 350℉ (180℃) degrees in a skillet or saucepan. You can also use the oil test by dropping a 1-inch square of bread into the oil. If it takes 60 seconds to brown, then the oil is at around 350℉ (180℃).
Using your hands, roll about a tablespoon of mixture in the palm of your hand into a little bite-size ball. Or use a spoon to scoop it out directly into the hot oil.
Carefully place the batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until the fritters are crisp and golden brown. You may need to do this in batches, so repeat with the rest of the batter until it is used up.
Remove the fritters from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Notes

Overripe plantains or bananas work best because they're soft and sweet. Green ones are too starchy.
If you have a Vitamix, you can use it to grind the rice using the tamper, then add the plantains and puree. Combine the mixture with the rest of the ingredients and fry away.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition