Ukpo Ogede-Nigerian Plantain pudding

I don’t like waste, so any time I can salvage something meant for the bin, I embrace it with joy. Ukpo Ogede-Nigerian plantain pudding is a pudding made from overripe plantains. The plantain should not be rotten just overripe.

My love for this sweet-savoury pudding started when I was preggie for daughter no. 1. It was one of three things I ate mindlessly during that period. Coincidentally, she grew up loving ukpo ogede.

It is quick and easy to make. Ukpo ogede is soft, sweet and savoury all at the same time. Usually, plantain flour or cornmeal is added to the overripe plantain to give it more body or firmness and cut down the sweetness. You can also add unripe plantain, it will taste good but the pudding will be a very deep brown colour. I haven’t tried plain flour and polenta, but I hear they work well too. I will give them a try and let you know.

Ukpo Ogede needs the heat of chilli to balance the sweetness of the plantain.

To make Ukpo Ogede-Nigerian plantain pudding:

3 overripe plantains
1/2 medium onions (1/4 cup chopped)
2 1/2 tablespoons ground crayfish
1 scotch bonnet/fresh pepper
2/3 cup cornmeal
1/4-1/2 cup water
salt
1/4 cup palm oil

Prepare small bowls by oiling them, make aluminium foil envelopes or wash uma or banana leaves. Set aside.

Wash, peel and cut plantains into chunks.

Place plantain, onions, crayfish, pepper, cornmeal and water in a blender. Grind till a smooth consistency is achieved.

Pour into a bowl, add salt and palm oil. Mix till well incorporated.

Taste for salt and adjust.

Pour into prepared bowl, aluminium foil envelopes or wrap in ‘uma’ or banana leaves.

Steam for about 45 minutes. Allow to cool down a bit to firm up.

Ukpo Ogede can be eaten on its own or with pap, rice or beans.

Other uses of overripe plantain include plantain bread/muffins, plantain mosa etc. 

Notes:

• When you smell the plantains, they should smell sweet not fermented.