Michelin star chef Aji Akokomi shows us how to make delicious Nigerian dish

Michelin star chef Aji Akokomi shows us how to make delicious Nigerian dish | Newsletter Producer and co-editor of The Slice Published October 11, 2026 3:00pm Aji Akokomi is the creative mind behind restaurants Akara and Akoko (Picture: Supplied) The theme of Black History Month this year is ‘Honouring our Communities’ and, as such, Metro is celebrating the Black people doing amazing things for food and culture in the capital. The Diaspora Dish, Metro’s newsletter focusing on African and Caribbean chefs from across the diaspora, is back for a second series. They will be sharing their signature recipes and the stories behind them. This week’s it’s Aji Akokomi, founder of one Michelin star restaurant Akoko and the more casual Akara, which Aji describes as the ‘approachable younger sister of Akoko’. ‘At Akara you could just grab an akara [a bean fritter] and a drink and then go and explore Borough Market. Akoko is more of a refined, longer experience.’ ‘There was the misconception that African food can’t be seen as fine dining. But it’s changing with our persistence.’ ‘I’ve always said that I don’t want African food to be a fad. We want it to be a mainstay all over the world, like Indian, French and Japanese cuisine.’ Aji Akokomi revamps the famous plantain We’re learning how to make Green Plantain Chips with Aubergine Yassa Dip, which is on the menu at Akara. In this recipe, Aji revamps a staple in many African and Caribbean households: the famous plantain. Its been given a makeover that promises big flavour and minimal effort. We show you exactly how to make the dish below (Picture: Supplied) It’s a starchy tropical fruit that can be used in so many different ways, eaten alone as a snack or alongside a meal. When they’re ripe, they’re sweet like bananas (and sometimes even sweeter). Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. ‘Growing up, the go-to snack in Nigeria was plantain,’ Aji tells us. We show you exactly how to make the dish below. Here’s how to make Aji’s Green Plantain Chips with Aubergine Yassa Dip Serves six. Preparation: 30 minutes Ingredients Green Plantain Chips 1 Green plantain 500ml vegetable oil, for deep frying 1 tsp fine sea salt Yassa Sauce 50g grapeseed oil 500g yellow onions, sliced 6g pepper salt 16g garlic paste 10g cooking kaani (Senegalese chilli sauce) 5g dashi Panko Thickener 200g gluten-free panko breadcrumbs 400g coconut milk Aubergine Yassa Dip 100g roasted aubergine 50g yassa sauce 12.5g panko thickener 2.5g lemon juice 1.25g salt Method Green Plantain Chips Peel and thinly slice the plantain. Heat vegetable oil to 150°C. Fry for 2–3 minutes until crisp and lightly golden. Drain and season with salt. Panko Thickener Blend the panko breadcrumbs and coconut milk until smooth. Leave to stand for five minutes. Yassa Sauce Heat the oil and cook the onions until soft. Stir in the pepper salt, garlic paste and cooking kaani. Add the dashi and cook briefly. Blend until smooth and cool. Aubergine Yassa Dip Blend the roasted aubergine, Yassa sauce, Panko Thickener, lemon juice and salt until smooth. Taste, adjust seasoning and chill. Serve Spoon the Aubergine Yassa Dip into a ramekin. Arrange the green plantain chips in a serving bowl or cup. Place the ramekin alongside the plantain chips. Serve immediately and enjoy! Sign up to The Diaspora Dish Hi, I'm Lola Christina Alao, co-editor of The Slice newsletter. Are you a fan of African and Caribbean food? Sign up to Metro's tastiest new newsletter, The Diaspora Dish, where you can get your hands on signature recipes from the Black chefs shaping the London food scene. And series two is almost here... I edit Metro's lifestyle newsletters, and I'm always on the hunt for the hottest new food spot in London (Picture: Lola Christina Alao) With incredible dishes like Dominican souse, Senegalese jollof rice and Bajan fish cakes, it’s a celebration of culture, community, and flavour. Ready to join the family? Sign up here. Deals of the Day Cold mornings are coming and this is the dressing gown I want to live in Most of us aren't getting enough fibre – this easy supplement could change that My honest review of the new UKLash Lash Lift Gel Kurt Geiger's new Notting Hill collection is a love letter to London's chaotic weather Dyson fans are swapping to this Hoover vacuum-mop that washes floors as it cleans Arrow MORE: Chef Dixie Fingal-Rock Innes shares her ‘refreshing’ family recipe for Dominican shrimp souse The Diaspora Dish Join the family: The Diaspora Dish series two is here! New recipes and chef interviews with The Slice's co-editor Lola Christina Alao.