The 'kelewele' king

 I have always been a sucker for plantain.( Sucker...plantain, get it? ) .So it is no wonder i am such a huge of fan of 'kelewele'. for those who have most probably never heard of  it, this is a dish made of  tiny slices of plantain (a crop indigenous to the tropics, rather similar to banana), mixed with choice spices which almost always comprise of ground pepper, ginger and a pinch of salt. This is then deep fried till golden brown and it is ready to be served. Traditionally it is eaten with groundnuts. For a lover of spicy food and plantain this treat is a gift from the gods.
  When it comes to 'kelewele', i have got to say it is the two extremes. it is either incredibly good or simply terrible. My hunt for the 'kelewele' king began two years ago but till now, sadly no one reigns supreme. however  between  Tema, Accra and Kumasi where i am based these days, i have to say there are some 'kelewele' gurus who have intrigued my palates every now and then. 
    Almost every taxi rank in this country is sure to boast of the 'kelewele' seller. And there is always the one that always has the crowd and the one you go to because you have no choice and are so hungry you are sure to pass out. how do you detect these sellers? Easy. They only have the occasional buyer and they are always shooting daggers at the other more successful trader. They usually complain a lot about the economy and give you no extras. 
      In Sakumono estates, the taxi rank just opposite 'Bonjour' fast food joint is the base of one such 'kelewele' guru. Don't expect much of a smile or extras but if you like your 'kelewele' hot, not overly spicy and with just that hint of spice you can't pinpoint,then it is the place to go. be sure to crosscheck for your groundnuts though. With all the people they tend to, they might just forget to add your groundnuts.
    Towards the MP flats also in Sakumono has one such woman who exists just for those who like life on the spicy side. not too far from her in typical Ghanaian fashion is Shawnzy's corner. The hostesses are two young ladies with a ready smile and also a hot plate of delicious 'kelewele' as well. It is no wonder the men just seem to fin this spot incredibly cozy.
     In Ayeduase and by that i mean just my little tour on the immediate outskirts of K.N.U.S.T campus, Kumasi are some kelewele sellers. Though none of them particularly have me dancing in the moonlight, there's an old woman two junctions after the  Ayeduase gate who proves continuously that age does it best. Also, lots of extras.
      Rumour has it that somewhere in 'UG' campus in Legon,Accra is a woman who fries her 'kelewele' with strips of chicken and they are amazing. this is hearsay but not for long because as soon as this food ninja steps back in legon, we will see if we can finally crown the 'kelewele' king.
#food ninja
#still on the 'kelewele' hunt