Pan fried overripe plantain is called dodo in Nigeria and a truly global recipe enjoyed in many cultures around the world.
I almost feel silly sharing this recipe because it's so simple but have to keep in mind that I grew up eating it on the regular and have a father who is super passionate and particular about fried plantain or as it is called in Nigeria, dodo. Easily pick and fry the best dodo with my tips!
If you enjoy cooking Nigerian recipes, you must try my Baked Suya Shrimps made with my Homemade Yaji Spice. You'll also love Classic Red Stew with Chicken!
Table of Contents
African Fried Plantain Ingredients
Picking Ripe Plantains for Frying
What does it taste like?
Nigerian dodo is sweet and fruity in flavor. Texture-wise, it is dense with a soft inside that almost melts in your mouth and a firm (but not crunchy) fried exterior. Plantain is somewhere between maduros and tostones, both of which I've enjoyed in my Caribbean travels. Dodo can also take on the flavor of whatever oil you fry it in. More on that below.
What You'll Need for this Recipe
The ingredient list for fried sweet plantains is short and simple. Here's what to add to your grocery cart.
- Very Ripe Plantain - Look for plantain that is overripe. Check out my tips for picking the right fruit below.
- Oil - What kind of oil to use for frying plantain? Vegetable oil or canola oil are very commonly used. You'll want to use an oil with a mild flavor and high smoke point.
Can plantain be fried in palm oil? Absolutely. Palm oil is indigenous to Africa and has a high smoke point. It does have an earthy, slightly fruity flavor so keep this in mind if you are not familiar with palm oil.
Preparing Plantain for Frying Nigerian Style
How to cut the plantain? you can either half, slice, or cube the plantain before cooking. I prefer to slice at an angle with each slice being no more than one inch thick. No matter how you slice it, the smell and sight of frying plantain is one of life's simple pleasures and it gets me every time.
Tips & Tools for this Recipe
Grab a sharp knife and a cutting board to prep the plantain. You'll also need a sturdy frying pan. I typically use a cast iron skillet for frying plantain at home. I recommend using a slotted spoon to remove the dodo from the pan once cooked.
Should I soak plantain before the fry? This is not necessary but totally up to personal preference. Some cooks like to soak the plantain to reduce the starchiness. I find that the extra step is not necessary.
How long to fry plantain for dodo? How to know when fried plantains are done partially depends on your preference. Look for golden brown color. Nigerian fried plantain slices are not fried for stiff crispiness.
Fry your plantain in batches for consistent texture and to manage the cooking time. Crowding the pan with too many plantain slices why lower the temperature of the oil too much and extend the cooking time.
How to store extra dodo? Dodo can be left at room temperature until serving and should be refrigerated afterward in an airtight container. It will keep for up to five days this way.
Serving Fried Plantain
The golden brown goodness of dodo can be enjoyed with any meal and as a snack. Similar to garri milk, it's great at any time of the day. And perfect with ewa riro!
My ideal plate is dodo, Nigerian jollof rice, a bit of red stew, and shrimp. But don't limit yourself to enjoying fried plantain only with Nigerian cuisine. It goes well will many Asian, Caribbean, and South American flavors, as well! Try adding fried plantain to a power bowl.
Not all dodo is created equal, though, and one bite of an overcooked or under-ripe batch will teach you that really quickly! The first step in making good dodo is picking good plantains. Check out a few tips below to help you find the best ones to work with.
How to Pick Ripe Plantains for Frying
How do I know when plantains are sweet? Do not, I repeat, do not under any circumstances, choose plantain that is still green! I snapped this picture of the plantain at my local grocery store to help give you an idea of what overripe plantain looks like. You want plantain that looks like the ones in the bottom left and dead center of the basket.
- First of all, do away with your thoughts about picking regular bananas because we're looking for the opposite when picking plantain for frying.
- Look for plantain with skin that is browned and blackened. Don't worry, it probably isn't bruised.
- Touch the skin. It will get darker, tougher, and thinner the closer the plantain is ripeness.
- Pick up the plantain and hold it. It should feel a bit heavy for its size.
- Gently squeeze the plantain. It should be soft but if it gives way to mush, it's too far gone.
- If you won't be frying plantain right away, then it's OK for it not to be in prime condition. Just let it sit on your counter for a few days until it's ready.
The fresh plantain (also called cooking bananas) should be on its way to spoilage but not spoiled for get the best, sweetest flavor from your fried dodo. This kind of plantain is also perfect for making nice cream! The instructions for making fried plantain into Nigerian dodo are super simple and can be found after the jump below.
More Nigerian Recipes
I always get questions when I serve fried plantain in my home or share it on social media so sharing how to make fried plantain is a bit overdue. I think dodo was the first West African dish I learned to make (because it is VERY easy) and, although it's a beloved staple in our culture, fried plantain is enjoyed in many Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well. Sharing is caring so be sure to pin this dodo recipe on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
How to Fry Nigerian Sweet Plantain
📖 Recipe
Dodo (Fried Plantain)
Ingredients
- 4 very ripe plantains
- vegetable oil or another oil with a high smoke point
Instructions
- Fill a pan or skillet about 2 inches deep with oil and heat over medium-high flame for about 5 minutes. The oil will start "moving" when it's ready.
- Meanwhile, skin and cut plantain into slices about 1-inch thick. (I slice mine on a bias cut.) Add a sheet of newspaper or paper towel to a plate to help drain oil from finished product and set aside.
- Add plantain slices to hot oil to cook. Depending on your pan size, you'll likely have to cook in batches to avoid crowding the pan (which would slow down the cooking time).
- Allow the slices to cook for about 5 minutes then flip. The bottoms of each slice should be golden brown, if not, flip back and cook a bit longer.
- Repeat on the opposite side then use a slotted spoon to remove dodo from oil and place onto paper towel-lined plate.
- Repeat with remaining slices until finished. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Tea says
Hi!
I tried this and it's great. I have one more plantain left that I wanted to try making sweet chips with, but I accidentally left them ripen way past the chips stage, oops. But now I'm wondering if I could also make this in the oven or air-fryer. Have you by chance tried that? I know it's not authentic, but maybe the result is close enough to try and make it a bit healthier?
Thanks!
Jazzmine Woodard says
Hi, Tea! I think I'm the only person in America that doesn't own an air fryer, so I can't advise on that from my personal experience BUT I do have friends who have fried dodo in the air fryer and they swear by it so it's probably safe to try.
Tea says
If you don't own a microwave either, they might take away your citizenship :).
In all honesty, you're not missing much. It sounds like something you're gonna use all the time, until you get it, and very soon go "meh, I'll just use my oven instead.." (If you live for french fries, especially the store-bought frozen kind, then it's quite good to have, and will make meals healthier.)
Unfortunately, my plantain got away from me, so I had to make something mashed with it (I opted for Ghanaian 'kaaklo' - interesting stuff!), but I'll for sure try some air fried dodo next time I get some plantains (to use my air fryer and thus justify its purchase more than anything 🙂 ).
Thanks for encouraging me by sharing your friends' experiences!
Lorie says
Question - this was my first time frying plantains - I played hell peeling them-ended up using a knife like I peel potatoes - any secrets?
Plantains were like in your pics as far as peel color/black thank you- I made to go with a Nigerian beef stew ❤️
Jazz says
Hi, Lorie! I typically cut the ends off my plantains then slice through the skin from end to end. From there, it's easy to peel the skin away in one or two pieces. Hope this is helpful.
Capri Lilly says
Thank you for this incredible recipe! I did not know how to make the perfect plaintains until now! I will be making the recipe again and again!
Kaluhi says
Beautiful tips! I shall definitely keep this in mind and share with all those who need to know plantain secrets!
Immaculate Ruému says
Fried plantains with a rice and stew is one of my favourite combinations. As a fellow Nigerian I can say this dodo recipe is perfect.
Tamara says
This recipe brought back so many great memories. Thanks for the tips for picking out the right ones.
Desirée says
This was so clutch! I've fallen victim to picking the wrong kind of plantain... NEVER AGAIN! This recipe and guide was spot on! Thank you!
Katrina says
I remember the first time I had to cook plantains for a project in college! I needed this post to help because I didn’t know where to start! This is so helpful! Great recipe! Thank you Jazz!
Aly says
I loooove sweet plantains! It's one of my favorite side dishes. My family is from Puerto Rico and this recipe is pretty similar to how we make it. Thank you for reminding me that a plate of sweet plantains were long overdue! We had some tonight with a side of white rice, beans stew, and fried tofu. So freaking good.
Andrea says
This recipe was a hit! Family loved this recipe.
Chef Mireille says
Being of Caribbean decent, plantain is a staple of our cuisine too. You gave some great tips about picking and cooking plantain. I am definitely going to save this to refer to all of my friends who did not grow up cooking plantain.
Samantha says
Great tips and recipe, Jazzmine! I grew up eating fried plantains at least once a week because Ghanaians love plantains, too!
Chenée says
I've always loved fried sweet plantains but thanks to these tips I was finally able to make it myself for the first time! The points on choosing the best plantain were so helpful.
Nij says
Always loved fried plantains but was afraid to cook them. But thanks to your perfect directions on how to pick the perfect one’s. We were able to enjoy fried plantains at the house. Thank You!