Take your winter stews to the next level with this plantain recipe

Fitness,

Support your immunity with this comforting plantain stew from Merchant Gourmet that’s packed with antioxidants and vitamins. 

Bored of your usual winter stews? Can’t face another night of chilli con carne? This delicious-sounding plantain dish is the perfect post-work dinner for so many reasons. First up, we’ve got subtly sweet and filling plantains that are rich in vitamin A, which is essential for vision and immune health. They’re also packed with antioxidants, which help to protect our cells against disease. Other hero ingredients include bell peppers (rich in bug-bustingvitamin C) and coconut milk (great for reducing inflammation in the body).

Close your eyes tight enough and you might just be able to imagine yourself tucking into this wonderful stew somewhere hot and sunny… rather than your cold, wintry flat. 

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small yellow pepper (deseeded and thinly sliced)

½ brown onion (thinly sliced – save the other half for the salad)

1 Scotch bonnet chilli, whole

1½ tsp medium curry powder

¾ tsp fine salt

1 very ripe plantain (peeled, halved lengthways and then cut into 2cm chunks. If you can’t find plantain, use banana, mango or cooked chunks of sweet potato)

400g tin full fat coconut milk

250g pouch of Merchant Gourmet Jamaican-style grains and pulses

½ a lemon (cut into wedges to serve)

Salad

15g picked coriander

½ onion, very thinly sliced

1 ripe tomato (seeds discarded and flesh finely chopped)

 1½ tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp fine salt

Method

1. Add the oil, pepper, onion, Scotch bonnet, curry powder and fine salt to a large saucepan and place on a high heat. 

2. Fry for 4 minutes, stirring often, then add the plantain and fry for another 7 minutes, until the onion, pepper and plantain have softened and are nicely browned. Turn the heat down if any of the veg begins to catch or burn.

3. Add the coconut milk and Jamaican-style grains and gently stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 mins until heated through, then remove from the heat.

4. Squeeze the Scotch bonnet into the stew, then remove. Deseed and finely chop the Scotch bonnet, then add it to a bowl with all the remaining salad ingredients. Mix to combine.

5. Spoon the stew into bowls, then top with the salad. Drizzle with oil and serve with lemon wedges. 

Recipe and image courtesy of Merchant Gourmet

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