Contest alert- All in one contest W22: Food challenge and Writing expedition contest update

🍳 Cooking with Confidence: My Delicious Food Diary & Cooking Adventure!

Hello to all my friends in the Steem Kids & Parents community! I am so excited to participate in the W22 Food Challenge. It’s such a wonderful initiative because it encourages us kids to learn how to "defend ourselves" in the kitchen and develop skills that will last a lifetime.

Today, I want to share my cooking journey where I prepared a favorite meal: Golden Fried Plantains served with a savory Tomato Sauce and smooth, creamy Pap.

🛒 The Ingredients

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Before I started, I made sure all my "soldiers" were ready for battle:

• Ripe Plantains: Yellow and sweet.

• Fresh Tomatoes & Onions: For that perfect sauce base.

• Groundnut Oil: For frying.

• Spices: Pepper and seasoning to taste.

• Pap (Ogi/Akamu): The perfect warm companion for the meal.

👨‍🍳📸Step-by-Step
Food Diary: From Prep to Plate

Step 1: Preparing the Plantains

the peeled plantain

I started with very ripe plantains and some peanuts on the side. You can tell the plantains are ready because the skin has those dark spots, that’s when they are the sweetest! I carefully peeled back the skins to reveal the firm, yellow fruit inside.

slice plantain

After peeling, I placed them in a clean silver bowl. I chose to slice them on a diagonal (oval shapes). Slicing them this way is better than round circles because it provides more surface area to get caramelized and crispy in the oil. I made sure the slices were of equal thickness so they would all cook at the same time.

Step 2: The Frying Process

the vegetable oil

I placed my pot on the electric burner and poured in a generous amount of vegetable oil. I waited for a few minutes to ensure the oil was hot enough. A good trick I used was dropping a small piece of onion in; when it started to sizzle, I knew the oil was ready.

Using a long-handled spoon to stay safe from oil splatters, I gently laid the plantain slices into the hot oil. I fried them in batches so the pot wasn't overcrowded. I watched them closely, flipping them once the bottom edges turned a deep golden brown.

the frying process

Step 3: Preparing the Stew Ingredients

washing and cutting the tomatoes

While the plantains were draining, I moved on to the sauce. I selected fresh, firm plum tomatoes. I washed them thoroughly in a bowl of clean water to remove any dirt or impurities before cutting them.

cutting the onions

Next came the onions. I peeled the outer dry skin and used a sharp knife to thinly slice the red onions. I prefer red onions because they provide a much stronger aroma and a sweet flavor when they are fried into a sauce.

Step 4: Cooking the Savory Sauce

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making the sauce

In a smaller pot, I heated a little bit of oil and added my chopped onions and fried it a little and then add my chopped tomatoes and also fried it.
Here, you can see me adding the ground dry pepper and seasoning. I stirred this constantly on medium heat to ensure the tomatoes softened and the water evaporated, leaving a thick, tasty sauce, but be mindful don't add it any water.

Step 5: Preparing the Pap (akamu)

preparing the pap

While the sauce was simmering, I prepared the Pap. I took two small bags of the raw corn paste and placed them in a bowl. I added a small amount of room temperature water first, using a spoon to break down all the lumps until it was a completely smooth, milky liquid. This is the secret to a perfect bowl of Pap! After this, I added boiling water until it set into a thick custard.

Step 6: The Master Chef at Work

when I gave my brother to help me a little

Here I am in the kitchen, keeping a close eye on everything! Cooking requires focus and patience. Finally, I sat down with my finished meal. You can see the dark, sweet fried plantains, the rich red tomato stew, and the steaming bowl of white pap. It was a delicious reward for a job well done!

food is ready

come let's eat

May I invite some of my friends, please help us share anything of any kind u wish to share from the context...
@emma-uttermost
@lirvic
@joshpa

My Regrade

@steemkid