Banana Frita com Feijão

About This Recipe

Banana Frita com Feijão translates simply as fried plantain with beans. Street vendors across Bissau fry thick slices of ripe plantain in palm oil until golden-crisp, then serve them next to a warm mound of seasoned black-eyed peas. The contrast of sweet caramelised plantain with savoury, slightly spicy beans makes this a satisfying snack or light lunch.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 largeripe plantains, peeled and sliced 1 cm thick
• 400 gcooked black-eyed peas
• 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
• 1 tspground chilli or cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsppalm oil or vegetable oil, divided
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beans

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Fry onion until soft, add black-eyed peas and chilli, season with salt, and cook 5 minutes. Keep warm.

2. 2

   Fry plantains

   Heat remaining oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Fry plantain slices in batches for 3 minutes per side until deep golden-brown.

3. 3

   Drain

   Drain fried plantains on paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

4. 4

   Serve

   Arrange plantains on plates alongside the spiced beans.

Variations

• •

  Add diced tomato to the beans.

• •

  Serve with a fried egg for extra protein.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Beans keep refrigerated 3 days. Fry plantains fresh for best texture.

Frequently Asked Questions