West Africa · Street food
Boli (Charcoal-Roasted Whole Plantain)
Sweet, semi-ripe whole plantains slow-roasted over glowing charcoal until smoky and golden-crusted, served with fiery pepper sauce.
The story
Boli is a premier Nigerian street food fixture across the Southwest and Niger Delta, heavily relied upon by commuters during rush-hour traffic in bustling cities like Lagos and Port Harcourt. In the Yoruba Southwest, it is traditionally eaten with roasted groundnuts, while Niger Delta variations pair it with charcoal-grilled whole mackerel and a fiery palm oil pepper sauce. Roasting unpeeled or shallow-scored semi-ripe plantains directly over low, ash-dusted charcoal allows the natural fructose to slowly caramelize without scorching the tender starchy core.
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