Plantain Fritters (Klako)

A West African (Ghanaian) fried snack of mashed ripe plantains seasoned with ginger, garlic and cayenne.

Ingredients

3		large overly ripe plantains or bananas
1 cup or more		rice, oatmeal or whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons	10 ml	baking powder
3/4 teaspoon	3.8 ml	salt (or more, adjust to preference)
1 teaspoon	5 ml	minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon	2.5 ml	grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons	30 ml	finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons	30 ml	green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon	15 ml	parsley, chopped
1/2 - 1 teaspoon	2.5–5 ml	cayenne pepper or pepper sauce (depending on tolerance)
—		oil for frying

If using rice, grind in a coffee grinder until finely ground, or use any flour.
Mash the plantains with a potato masher or spoon until pureed, or use a food processor to blend.
In a medium bowl add the rice, baking powder, salt, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper to the mashed plantains. Stir in the green onions, onions and parsley until fully combined.
Adjust the seasonings. You may have to do a test taste first.
Using your hands, roll about a tablespoon of mixture in the palm of your hand into little bite-size balls, or use a spoon to scoop it out.
Heat oil to 350 degrees in a skillet or saucepan. You may also use the oil test by dropping a 1-inch square of bread into the oil; if it takes 60 seconds to brown, the oil is at around 350 degrees.
Carefully place spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the fritters are crisp and golden-brown (you may need to do this in batches).
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
You may drain on a paper napkin to remove any excess oil.