Bakabana with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Sweet Plantain, Fresh Heat

Bakabana is a much-loved Surinamese way of preparing plantain: slices are dipped in batter and deep-fried until the outside is crisp and the flesh is soft. It is eaten as a side dish, but also makes a great snack. This recipe keeps things simple: ripe plantain for sweetness, a thin layer of batter for a light crunch, and peanut sauce for creaminess, saltiness and heat. The sauce is served on the side so the crisp coating doesn’t go soft before you eat.

Choose plantains that are yellow with dark spots but still feel firm. Green plantains are less sweet and cook differently; very soft, overripe ones can be harder to cut into neat diagonal slices. Cutting them on the diagonal makes wide pieces with plenty of surface area for the batter. Fry them in small batches in oil that’s hot enough: at around 170–175 °C, the batter browns quickly while the plantain becomes warm and soft inside. A thermometer is handy but not essential; drop a little batter into the oil. It should sizzle straight away and slowly turn golden brown, not darken immediately.

The batter should be thin enough to coat the plantain without forming a thick, doughy layer. Stir just until the flour is incorporated; a few small lumps are fine. Pat the slices dry first, otherwise the batter won’t stick as well and the oil may splatter. Don’t overcrowd the pan: adding too much cold plantain at once lowers the oil temperature, making the batter greasier. Let the fried pieces drain briefly on a wire rack or paper towels, and serve them straight away if possible.

Smooth peanut butter gives the sauce an even, creamy base. Ketjap manis adds sweet-and-salty depth, while lime juice brightens the sauce and balances the sweet plantain. Adjust the amount of red chilli to suit your taste; removing the seeds makes it milder. If the sauce gets too thick as it heats, stir in warm water a little at a time. Crunchy peanut butter works too, but gives the sauce a coarser texture.

Serve the sauce in a small bowl alongside the bakabana, not poured over it. This keeps the batter crisp for longer and lets everyone decide how much sauce to add. As part of a meal, bakabana goes well with savoury Surinamese dishes; as a snack, a few warm pieces with dipping sauce are just right. Store leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat them briefly in an oven or air fryer so the coating crisps up a little again. The sauce can be refrigerated separately and stirred smooth again over low heat with a splash of water.