What Is Klaklo? The Ivorian Sweet Plantain Fritters Explained
Klaklo is an Ivorian and Ghanaian fritter of over-ripe plantain mashed with a little flour, ginger and chilli, then fried. Here is what it is and how it is made.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Klaklo, also spelled claclo or kaklo, is an Ivorian and Ghanaian snack of small round fritters made from very ripe, over-ripe plantains. The plantains are mashed and mixed with a little flour, grated ginger, chilli and sometimes onion, then dropped into hot oil and fried into bite-sized rounds. The result is sweet with a gentle warmth from the ginger and chilli, and it is eaten as a snack or a simple breakfast. In the UK the ripe plantains, flour and spices to make klaklo are sold by African food shops, which you can find near you on African Stores.
What to remember
- Klaklo is a fried fritter made from over-ripe plantain, popular in Ivory Coast and Ghana.
- It is also spelled claclo or kaklo.
- The plantain is mashed with a little flour, grated ginger and chilli, sometimes with onion.
- It is sweet with a gentle warmth from the ginger and chilli.
- It is eaten as a street and home snack, or as a simple breakfast.
The smell of ripe plantain hitting hot oil is one of the most familiar in West African kitchens, and for many Ivorians and Ghanaians in Britain klaklo carries that smell straight home. It is the snack made from the plantains too soft and blackened to fry as slices, the ones a careful cook would never waste, turned instead into something sweet and warming. That thrift is part of its charm, a small round treat born from a plantain at its ripest.
There is real affection in klaklo. It is the fritter passed around at home, bought warm from a street seller, eaten with the fingers between other things. To make a batch far from home is to keep a small everyday tradition alive, and to hand a friend their first warm, sweet, gently spiced fritter is to share a little of the Ivorian and Ghanaian table. That mix of sweetness and gentle heat is the quiet comfort of klaklo.
What Klaklo Actually Is
Klaklo, which you will also see written as claclo or kaklo, is a fritter made from very ripe plantain. The key is over-ripe fruit: plantains whose skins have turned mostly black are at their sweetest and softest, and it is these that give klaklo its flavour. The plantains are mashed to a rough puree and mixed with just a little flour to bind them, along with grated fresh ginger and chilli, and sometimes a little grated or finely chopped onion. Spoonfuls of the mixture are then dropped into hot oil and fried into small, round, golden-brown fritters.
The taste is the appeal. Klaklo is sweet, thanks to the ripe plantain, but not plainly so, because the ginger and chilli run a gentle warmth through it, making it sweet-savoury with a hint of heat. It is soft inside and lightly crisp at the edges. It is a snack shared across the region, common in both Ivory Coast and Ghana, and it sits comfortably among the many plantain dishes of Ivorian food. Where crisp slices of fried plantain make the most of firmer, just-ripe fruit, klaklo is what a soft, over-ripe plantain becomes, mashed and spiced rather than sliced.
How Klaklo Is Made and Served
Making klaklo is simple. Over-ripe plantains are peeled and mashed until smooth, then a small amount of flour is worked in to hold everything together, followed by grated ginger and finely chopped or ground chilli to taste. Some cooks add a little onion for a savoury note, and the mixture is seasoned and mixed to a thick, dropping consistency. It is fried in hot oil, a spoonful at a time, until each fritter is deep golden and cooked through, then drained and eaten warm.
Klaklo is street and home food, meant to be eaten with the hands. It is a popular snack throughout the day and makes a satisfying, easy breakfast, often bought warm from sellers or fried up in batches at home. Because it turns a very ripe plantain into something quick and pleasing, it is the kind of thing that appears whenever there are plantains going soft in the kitchen. It needs no special accompaniment, though it pairs happily with a hot drink.
Klaklo, Ghana and the Wider Region
Klaklo is a good example of how closely the cooking of Ivory Coast and Ghana overlaps. The two countries are neighbours and share many dishes, and klaklo, or kaklo, is made and loved on both sides of the border. Plantain is a staple right across West Africa, and turning ripe fruit into a sweet, spiced fritter is a natural and widespread idea, so a snack much like klaklo appears in different forms and under different names through the region. What stays constant is the combination at its heart: soft, sweet plantain lifted by ginger and chilli.
Please note that klaklo is made with flour, so it contains gluten. Anyone avoiding gluten should keep that in mind, as the small amount of flour is what binds the mashed plantain together.
Where to Buy Klaklo Ingredients in the UK
Klaklo is a homemade snack, and its ingredients are easy to gather in Britain from African food shops. You will want ripe plantains, and specifically the very ripe, blackened ones that are perfect for it, along with flour, fresh ginger and chilli. Shops serving West African customers usually sell plantains at every stage of ripeness, so you can pick out the softest for klaklo, and they carry the flour and fresh spices too. None of it is hard to find, so klaklo is a simple, budget-friendly snack to make at home. You can find African food stores near you to see what is nearby.
Frequently asked questions
What is klaklo?
Klaklo, also spelled claclo or kaklo, is an Ivorian and Ghanaian snack of small round fritters made from very ripe, over-ripe plantains. The plantains are mashed and mixed with a little flour, grated ginger, chilli and sometimes onion, then fried in hot oil. It is sweet with a gentle warmth and is eaten as a snack or a simple breakfast.
What does klaklo taste like?
Klaklo is sweet from the ripe plantain, with a gentle warmth running through it from the ginger and chilli, so it is sweet-savoury with a hint of heat. It is soft inside and lightly crisp at the edges. The riper the plantain, the sweeter the fritter.
How is klaklo made?
Very ripe plantains are peeled and mashed, then a little flour is mixed in to bind them, along with grated ginger, chilli and sometimes a little onion. Spoonfuls of the mixture are dropped into hot oil and fried until golden brown and cooked through, then drained and eaten warm.
Does klaklo contain gluten?
Yes, klaklo is usually made with a little flour to bind the mashed plantain, so it contains gluten. The amount is small but it is what holds the fritters together, so anyone avoiding gluten should be aware of it.
Where can I buy klaklo ingredients in the UK?
Klaklo is made at home, so African food shops are the place to buy the ingredients: ripe plantains, flour, fresh ginger and chilli. Shops serving West African customers usually stock plantains at every stage of ripeness, so you can choose the very ripe ones that suit klaklo best. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks them.