Ofam is basically a spicy ripe plantain cake. It’s a great way of using over ripe plantains which would soak up too much oil when fried or will be too soft when boiled. Nonetheless a perfectly ripe plantain can also be used. This savoury plantain cake can be enjoyed as breakfast, lunch, as a side or afters after meals. It’s just great either way.
Ofam (Spicy Plantain Cake)
Ingredients
- 2 Over ripen Plantains
- 30 g Red Onion
- Scotch Bonnet to taste preference
- 20 g Fresh Ginger
- 4 Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Calabash Nutmeg substitue with 1/2tsp AVK 7 Spice Blend
- 1 Cup Self Raising Flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Shrimp Powder
- 1-3 tbsp Palm Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees Celsius.
- Grease a loaf pan with palm oil.
- Peel and cut up the onion and ginger. Place in a food processor or blender, traditionally it is grinded in an earthen ware mortar (Asanka). If you own an Asanka, use it is as the flavour and texture you get from it is lovely.
- Add the scotch bonnet pepper and cloves and grind/blend the mixture until smooth.
- Now add the salt and shrimp powder to taste.
- Peel the plantains and cut up into pieces. Add to the onion mixture and grind/blend together. Ideally, you want a lumpy thick mixture. Over blending gives a very smooth runny mixture. The Asanka gives a great texture.
- Add the flour and mix well.
- Now add the palm oil and stir in well. I used 2 tbsp of palm oil here. But you can reduce or actually increase it to 3tbsp. The palm oil makes the Ofam moist.
- Add the baking powder and mix until well incorporated.
- Pour into the prepared loaf tin. Place it in the oven to bake.
- When it is thoroughly baked, a skewer inserted into the cake will come out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool down before removing from the loaf tin.
- Serve the ofam with boiled eggs and nuts. It can be eaten as dessert, main meal, side dish or a snack. I had this for breakfast by adding some rocket salad and poached eggs. It was so yummy.
