Salt + Spine

Salt + Spine

Share this post

Salt + Spine
Salt + Spine
Ndizi Kaanga (Fried Plantains) by Hawa Hassan
Featured Recipes

Ndizi Kaanga (Fried Plantains) by Hawa Hassan

As Ma Vicky taught us, plantains are a huge part of Tanzanian cooking, and there are tons of varietals and different ways of preparing each.

Brian Hogan Stewart's avatar
Brian Hogan Stewart
Nov 24, 2020
∙ Paid

Share this post

Salt + Spine
Salt + Spine
Ndizi Kaanga (Fried Plantains) by Hawa Hassan
Share
Ndizi Kaanga (Fried Plantains)

As Ma Vicky taught us, plantains are a huge part of Tanzanian cooking, and there are tons of varietals and different ways of preparing each. These simple fried plantains are best made with bright yellow plantains that are somewhere in between the firm, starchy-green under- ripe plantains and the super-soft, super-sweet, almost-black overripe plantains. Fried in a little butter (or ghee) and finished with a splash of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of both salt and nutmeg, these plantains ride the line between sweet and savory. Serve on their own for a snack or alongside Zanzibar Pilau, cooked vegetables, and grilled meat or fish for a complete meal. You could even sprinkle them with a bit of brown sugar as they cook, finish them with a splash of rum, and serve with vanilla ice cream for a Tanzanian version of bananas foster.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Salt + Spine to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Brian Hogan Stewart
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share