Chips. Salsa. Dip. Nigerian Style....

I love Mexican food. Especially loaded nachos with fresh salsa and sour cream.

Now that I am living in Lagos and watching my calories and also constantly creating recipes that put unconventional twists on what most consider conventional ingredients, I decided to put my spin on this favorite of mine. Instead of corn chips, I opted to make unripe plantain chips, a fresh salsa with some produce from my garden and a natural yogurt dip taking the place of sour cream.

This little platter is so easy to put together but is so different from what your guests will expect and is the perfect appetizer or movie snack. My favorite part: it is pocket friendly. Do not be put off by the fact that there are 3 elements to this dish. They are really easy to put together.

To make the plantain chips to feed 2, you need:

• 2 green unripe plantains
• Salt
• Vegetable oil

Directions:

• Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the plantain lengthwise as thinly as possible
• In a large frying fan or a deep fryer, heat the oil
• Add the plantain and fry till crispy
• Drain and season with salt to taste

To make the salsa, you need:

• 1/4 red or white onion - diced finely
• 2 firm tomatoes - diced finely
• 1 hot pepper - jalapeno, scotch bonnet - diced finely. Remove seeds if you want to tone down the heat
• 1 sweet pepper - sweet banana or bell pepper - diced finely
• 3-6 leaves of Basil/ Cilantro / Coriander/ African Basil or Scent Leaf
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Combine all the ingredients and season with salt to taste

To make the yogurt dip, you will need:

• 1 cup natural unsweetened yogurt
• 1 spring onion - chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl

Once all the elements are ready, serve and enjoy.
The salsa and yogurt dip can keep in the fridge overnight. Use leftovers in sandwiches and burgers or to top a salad.


 

Store Bought Salsa - From ordinary to pretty d***ned good

Have I said it before? I am not a food Nazi or a food purist. I am not one of those ít has to be homemade or I will surely lose my desire to live' kind of people and I definitely don't look down my nose at people that use convenience foods. If I do that, its probably because my nose is itching or something. Just a little caveat.

 

I will say though that some convenience foods need something extra- a little oomph to pass muster in my book. A little bit of this and a little bit of that and a can of something can be transformed into deliciousness.

 

A jar of pretty good medium salsa in my fridge. I get food gifts from friends and this jar of salsa was one of those gifts. A pretty good specialty salsa to be honest. But it lacked a little something for me.

 

I chopped up some spring onions/scallions - white and green parts, opened a small can of sweet corn and added some ground coriander. 

 

 

 

 

Stir everything together and serve with some corn chips. As simple as 1,2,3 but definitely not your average salsa.

Enjoy!!!