Sweet Fried Plantains
No matter how you pronounce it, plantains are a delicious staple in many Caribbean, African and South American kitchens. These ripe plantains come out tasting so sweet and delicious once prepared, and can wonderfully accompany a variety of dishes.
This “recipe” (if you can call it that) is so simple, that there’s basically only one ingredient: ripe plantains. Although there are a multitude of ways to cook this fruit, one of my favourites will always be to simply fry them in a pan.
This member of the banana family has a lot more starch than it’s cousins, so in many dishes it’s used more like a vegetable (while the skin is on the greener side) than a fruit. They are also larger than bananas with a thicker skin, so it may take a bit of practice to peel properly.
They key to this recipe is to use plantains that are very ripe. You’re looking for a yellow colour with lots of black areas. The blacker the plantain, the sweeter it is as the starch converts to sugar. In general, plantains are also pretty healthy, including being a source for a good amount of fibre, potassium and vitamin C.
In Caribbean dishes, plantains are usually served as a side to the main course. A word of warning: you might want to double this recipe, because I doubt you can stop yourself from eating any more of this tasty snack!
Sweet Fried Plantains
Ingredients
- 2 ripe plantains
- oil for frying canola or avocado works well
- Kosher or sea salt optional
Instructions
- Using a knife, cut off each end of the plantain. Carefully slice the skin along one of the ridges and peel back.
- To cut the plantain: Slice into 1-inch diagonal rounds, or cut the plantain in half and slice lengthwise (about 1/2").
- Over medium-high, heat enough oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Fry sliced plantain in batches, turning once with a spatula or fork, for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden-brown in colour. Reduce heat to medium if necessary.
- Remove plantains and placed on a tray lined with paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- Season with salt, if desired. Serve warm.
