If you don’t know what plantains are, think banana meets potato. Ok, so that might not sound super appetizing, but believe me, plantains are delicious. They are a very common food item in Latin America and the Caribbean. Fortunately, they are not too difficult to find in most grocery stores in the States. Look for something resembling a banana, but green (green is what you want, not yellow like a banana) and in the produce section with the potatoes, onions, etc.

 

My method of frying plantains reflects how I learned to make them when I lived in Haiti for a short time. They really remind me of french fries (with a touch of sweetness at the center) so they really are perfect for a bar snack.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• One large plantain will make about 8-10 individual pieces.
• Vegetable Oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

 

Directions

1. Prepare your plantain by slicing off the ends and then making 2-3 continuous cuts through the outer skin along the length. This makes it easier to remove the skin, which you’ll find is harder to peel than even an unripe banana.

2. With the outer layer removed, make your slices on a diagonal, about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. You will be pressing them flat later, so the diagonal cut facilitates that and is why you want thick slices.

3. Add the vegetable oil to a skillet, to about 1/4 inch deep. You want your plantain slices about half submerged, but not completely. Set at about medium heat (you don’t want your oil to be too hot). Get a long pair of tongs (trust me, you’ll want them to avoid popping and fizzling oil) and put your plantain slices in.

4. When the plantains appear just slightly yellow-brown on the bottom, flip them over and continue.

5. When they develop a uniform light browned appearance (as above), use your tongs to take them out of the oil and pat them dry on a paper towel. Transfer them to a hard, flat surface, like a cutting board, and use another hard flat item to press and smush the plantains. You may use another small cutting board, a spatula, or a large flat serving spoon. In Haiti (and likely other countries in which plantains are commonly eaten), wooden paddles are made for just this purpose.

6. After flattening your plantain slices, add a teaspoon of salt to some warm water (about 1-2 cups) and dissolve it evenly. Using your tongs, dip your plantain slices into the salt water mixture, and put them back into the oil (stand back!).

7. They’ll only need to be back in the oil for about a minute on each side. When the slices have a deeper brown appearance as shown below, remove them from the oil and transfer back to a paper towel to dry and cool.

Pile ’em up and enjoy! It may seem cliche, but they are actually quite good with ketchup, and are frequently eaten that way in Haiti. Bon Apetit!