What Is Tatale? The Ghanaian Plantain Pancake Explained
Tatale is a Ghanaian pancake of overripe plantain, sweet, spiced and fried. Here is what it is and where to buy plantain.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Tatale is a much loved Ghanaian snack, a soft, savoury and slightly sweet pancake or fritter made from very ripe, overripe plantain. The plantains are mashed and mixed with a little flour, chopped onion, ginger, chilli and spices, then fried in small rounds until golden. Naturally sweet from the ripe plantain and savoury from the onion and spice, tatale is a great way to use up plantains that are almost too ripe, and it is classically eaten with aboboi, a Bambara bean stew. In the UK you can make tatale easily with plantain from any African food shop.
What to remember
- Tatale is a Ghanaian pancake or fritter made from very ripe, overripe plantain.
- The plantain is mashed and mixed with flour, onion, ginger, chilli and spices, then fried.
- It is soft, savoury and slightly sweet, a great use for overripe plantains.
- It is classically eaten with aboboi, a Bambara bean stew.
- You can make it with plantain from African food shops and supermarkets in the UK.
For Ghanaians in Britain, tatale is a homely taste of home. It is the sweet, spiced plantain pancake from the kitchen, the smart way grandmother used up the ripest plantains, the soft golden rounds eaten with a bowl of aboboi beans, the snack that says home and thrift and comfort. Frying tatale far from home brings back family kitchens and the sweet smell of ripe plantain and the pleasure of a homely meal, the warmth of home in every soft, spiced bite.
There is real homeliness in it too, in a dish so tied to everyday Ghanaian cooking and to making the most of what you have. It reflects a whole culture of thrifty, delicious home food, and to make tatale is to keep that alive. Frying tatale for family who grew up on it, or introducing a friend to their first plate with aboboi, is a small act of welcome. That sweet, spiced taste of home is the quiet gift of tatale.
What Tatale Actually Is
Tatale is a beloved Ghanaian snack, a soft pancake or fritter made from very ripe plantain, and one of the best ways to make something delicious out of plantains that have gone soft and black skinned. When plantains are that overripe, they are intensely sweet, and in tatale that sweetness is balanced with savoury and spicy flavours. The overripe plantains are mashed to a paste and mixed with a little flour or cornmeal to bind, along with finely chopped onion, grated ginger, chilli or pepper and sometimes other spices, to make a soft batter.
This batter is then fried in spoonfuls or small rounds in a little oil until golden and cooked through, giving soft, slightly sweet, savoury and spiced little pancakes. The result is comforting and moreish, sweet from the plantain and savoury from the onion and spice, with a lovely soft texture. Tatale belongs to the world of Ghanaian plantain dishes we cover in our guide to Ghanaian food, a clever and delicious way to use up ripe plantain, and a close relative of other Ghanaian plantain treats like kelewele.
How Tatale Is Made and Eaten
Making tatale is simple and satisfying. Very ripe plantains, the softer and blacker skinned the better for sweetness, are peeled and mashed to a smooth paste, then mixed with a little flour or cornmeal to hold everything together, and with finely chopped onion, ginger, chilli and salt, and sometimes a pinch of other spices, to a soft, spoonable batter. Small rounds of the batter are then fried in a little hot oil until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, so they are soft in the middle with lightly crisp edges.
Tatale is enjoyed as a snack or as part of a meal, and its most classic pairing is with aboboi, a stew of Bambara beans, the two eaten together as a well loved Ghanaian combination of sweet, spiced plantain pancakes and hearty beans. It is also lovely on its own or as a side. This is general food information rather than dietary advice. However it is served, tatale is a delicious, comforting way to enjoy ripe plantain, and a great answer to the question of what to do with plantains that are almost too ripe to fry.
Tatale as a Ghanaian Favourite
Tatale is a favourite Ghanaian home snack and street food, loved for being tasty, thrifty and comforting all at once. Because it turns overripe plantains, which might otherwise be thrown away, into something delicious, it is a clever, homely dish, the sort of thing made in family kitchens to use up fruit at its sweetest. Its combination of sweet and savoury and its soft texture make it very moreish, and it is enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Paired with aboboi beans, tatale becomes a proper, satisfying meal with a real place in Ghanaian food culture, while on its own it is a perfect snack. For anyone exploring Ghanaian food, tatale is an easy, delicious and approachable dish to try, and simple to make at home with a few ripe plantains and store cupboard basics. Sweet, savoury, spiced and soft, tatale is Ghanaian plantain cooking at its most homely and satisfying.
Where to Buy Plantain in the UK
Making tatale at home in Britain is easy, because the key ingredient, plantain, is widely available and you actually want it very ripe. African food shops always stock plantain at different stages of ripeness, and many supermarkets carry it too, so you can buy plantains and let them ripen until the skins are soft and black, which is perfect for tatale. The onion, ginger, chilli and flour or cornmeal are everyday ingredients, and Bambara beans for aboboi are sold in African food shops.
If you want to make tatale, an African food shop can point you to good plantain and to Bambara beans for the classic aboboi pairing. You can find African food stores near you or look up Caribbean food stores near you, where plantain is always in stock. Mashed with onion and spice and fried until golden, overripe plantain becomes tatale, a sweet, savoury Ghanaian treat you can easily enjoy at home.
Frequently asked questions
What is tatale?
Tatale is a much loved Ghanaian snack, a soft, savoury and slightly sweet pancake or fritter made from very ripe, overripe plantain. The plantains are mashed and mixed with a little flour, chopped onion, ginger, chilli and spices, then fried in small rounds until golden. It is a great way to use up very ripe plantains, and it is classically eaten with aboboi, a Bambara bean stew.
What is tatale made of?
Tatale is made mainly from very ripe, overripe plantain, mashed to a paste and mixed with a little flour or cornmeal to bind, along with finely chopped onion, grated ginger, chilli or pepper, salt and sometimes other spices. The soft batter is fried in small rounds in a little oil until golden and cooked through, giving sweet, savoury, spiced little pancakes.
What is tatale eaten with?
Tatale is most classically eaten with aboboi, a Ghanaian stew of Bambara beans, the sweet, spiced plantain pancakes and the hearty beans making a well loved combination. It is also enjoyed on its own as a snack or as a side dish. Together, tatale and aboboi make a satisfying and popular Ghanaian meal.
Why is overripe plantain used for tatale?
Overripe plantain is used for tatale because it is at its sweetest and softest, which gives the pancakes their natural sweetness and soft texture and makes it easy to mash into a batter. Tatale is a clever way to use plantains that have gone very soft and black skinned, turning fruit that might otherwise be wasted into a delicious snack.
Where can I buy plantain in the UK?
Plantain is sold by all African food shops and by many supermarkets, so it is easy to find for making tatale, and you can simply let it ripen at home until the skin is soft and black. Bambara beans for the classic aboboi pairing are sold in African food shops, along with the ginger and chilli you need. A shop can point you to good plantain. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you.