Greatly renowned in Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America, the plantain is still a little unknown in European cuisine. However, it is a delicious accompaniment that transforms and pairs perfectly with a wide variety of dishes. Find out how to cook it and enjoy it as it is customary to do in the rest of the world. You’ll see, it’s as easy as pie!
What does plantain taste like?
If you don’t know the plantain, know that it has little to do with the banana that we eat as fruit on this side of the Atlantic. It is recognizable by its greenish skin, sometimes very yellow with black spots when it is very ripe. Unlike the banana fruit, it is much larger and above all is never eaten raw. It has a slightly sweet taste, which goes perfectly with savory dishes without altering the flavors. Generally, it is eaten boiled, fried, in fritters, crushed or in chips. Just like you would with potatoes or sweet potatoes!
How to make fried plantain?
One of the most common ways to consume plantains, particularly in West and Central Africa, is to fry them. Fried banana is also called “Alloco” (Or “aloko“) in Ivory Coast. To prepare it, the process is the same as with a potato, minus the pre-cooking. Strip your bananas and cut them to your liking after taking care to remove the ends . You can make slices, dice, or even cut them into strips if you wish. Then simply immerse them in a very hot oil bath and leave to fry. The banana is ready when it has a golden color over its entire surface. Take it out of the fryer or pan and pat dry on paper towels. Leave to cool before eating alone or as an accompaniment to meat, fish, chicken or any other sauce (or not). ) that comes to mind.
How to make boiled plantain?
To enjoy plantain, you can also boil or steam it. To do this, simply cut it and put it in a saucepan full of water. Most often in African cuisine, we tend to simply cut it into two large pieces before cooking it. It will then soften and turn a beautiful light yellow color. You can add a little salt to your water if you like, but it’s optional. Let boil or steam for 15 minutes before draining and serving. It will have a gently sweet taste, which goes perfectly with an infinite number of sauced dishes. Its little extra: it is fat-free and therefore less heavy on the stomach than its fried version.
How to make plantain chips?
Ideal for an aperitif or snack, plantain chips are an easy-to-make snack that can be kept for a long time. To make it, you have to choose your unripe banana. Then, you have to slice it into very thin strips, the same size as traditional chips. Do not hesitate to season your strips with salt and the spices of your choice to give them flavor. Then fry them in a hot oil bath to make them crispy. You can also do this step in the oven if you want to avoid having too greasy chips, but it may take more time.
There are plenty of other ways to cook plantain, the only condition is to cook it. If traditional cuisines prefer them fried, pounded or boiled, nothing stops you from adding them to a gratin, eating them in your salad or roasting them if you wish. Enjoy your food !
Read also :
⋙ The delicious recipe for aloko, fried plantain
⋙ The easy recipe for mini plantain burgers for an aperitif
⋙ Our delicious accompaniments for a fondue bourguignonne