Bolé

Today's treat is a roadside favorite in Nigeria... Bolé, which to those who don't know, is roasted plantain.

If I am not mistaken, it originates from the Niger Delta area of Nigeria and in those areas there's variations on how best to eat it. Deltans may tell you it goes best with dry roasted groundnuts while Port Harcourt folk may say it has to be eaten with fish (and a palm oil based sauce).

The plantain is usually roasted on an open charcoal fired grill not that much different from a barbeque grill, but being out there and in an apartment without a balcony or a grill even :-), I've come up with a way to get the same effect using my oven broiler.

I'm not a big fan of bolé and groundnut; and that fish concoction they do (and I tried) in Port Harcourt gave me a stomach ache. So, in typical fashion, I came up with a gorgeous sauce - inspired by the fish sauce, to go along with it.

Bolé
Preparation
-Turn on your broiler
-Once ready, place peeled ripe (but still firm) plantain under the grill
-Pay close attention to the plantain and keep turning to prevent burning and to make sure cooked on all sides.

Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 a chopped red onion
2 chopped tomatoes
2 tbsps ground crayfish or shrimp
2 tbsps of palm oil
1 boullion cube (maggi, knorr, etc)
Salt and cayenne (optional) to taste

Preparation
-Place a small saucepan on medium heat
-Add palm oil
-Add chopped onions and cook until tender
-Add chopped tomatoes and cook until softened
-Add crayfish or shrimp, boullion cube and salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Serve while hot and enjoy!