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Fried Plantains, a tasty delight.A sweet side dish that can be had as breakfast, lunch or dinner and compliments almost any main dish. Fried sweet plantains a popular dish in African and Caribbean cuisines and a favorite amongst adults and kids alike. Want to learn all about plantains read along and learn how to make the perfect fried plantain recipe easy step by step photos.
Fried Plantain Recipe
Always a kids favorite though to my greatest surprise only my 4 yr old favors it. C’mon plantains was a golden dish while I was growing up. Every child loved plantains.
How to make Fried Plantains / How to Fry Plantains
This is one of the easiest side dishes to make. But you have to choose your ripe plantains wisely and you have to be careful while frying since hot oil is involved.
Sometimes I like to add some flavor to my fried sweet plantains. For this I use onions. It’s so easy to flavor your fried plantains and so delicious.
Simply add onion chunks to the oil while it heats up this step adds the flavor to the oil.
The plantains absorb this amazing flavor as they cook. Oh my gosh it tastes amazing.
How do you tell the difference between a plantain and a banana
Plantain and bananas are in the same family but have different flavor profiles. Bananas are very sweet but plantains aren’t as sweet because they have a higher starch content.
Because of the sweetness of bananas they are usually used for sweet recipes like banana bread. Plantains are used in a variety of recipes and are a lot more popular in African and Caribbean cuisines
Unripe plantain is used to make plantain porridge, Tostones and Plantain chips
Ripe plantains are used for fried sweet plantains, Kelewele, Plantain frittata and lots more. It’s compliments almost any meal.
Should you peel plantains before frying?
You need to peel plantains before frying the only time you can cook plantains without peeling is if you are making boiled plantains.
How ripe should plantains be before frying
I would say it depends on how sweet you like your plantains. The level of sweetness of the plantain depends on its color. The color ranges from Green (unripe and not sugary ) to yellow ( ripe and sugary ) and finally black ( over ripe and very sugary )
The best color for fried sweet plantains are the yellow variety. The more yellow the plantains the sweeter it is.
When it turns dark brown or black, its best you use it for Plantain pancakes, plantain puff puff or plantain bread.
Frying the black plantains will result in a mushy gooey sweet sticky plantains which I love but not everyone’s favorite.
Are fried plantains healthy?
Because of the combination of oil (from frying ) and the starch content of plantains some people see fried plantains as unhealthy.
A combination of oil and carbs isn’t good for your waist line. Plantains are rich in Vitamins and Potassium so there are ways to indulge without missing out. Indulging on a plate of fried sweet plantains once in a while isn’t bad.
That being said, below are a few ways to have a healthier version of plantains.
- Take it in moderation.
- Fry the plantains in shallow oil instead of deep frying
- Bake the plantains
- Boil the plantains
- Make unripe plantain porridge
- Load your plate with more leafy greens sauce than fried plantains.
How many Calories in fried sweet plantains?
This recipe has 8 servings and each serving has 170 kcal
How do you reheat plantains?
Fried plantains that have been stored in the refrigerator can easily be reheated by popping them into the microwave on a single layer in a paper towel lined plate.
Other plantain recipes to try
How to serve fried sweet plantains
Plantains make a great meal either as a side dish or as a main meal. Below are some of the dishes you can serve with fried plantains and my favorite is beans
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How to fry plantains
Ingredients
- 4 ripe plantains
- Oil for deep frying
- 1/2 medium onion optional
Instructions
- Cut the two end of the plantain off then slit the skin vertically down to remove peel
- Cut plantains to desired shape diagonally cubes, circles or half circles.
- Sprinkle some salt on the plantains
- Heat up oil, if using onions, add the onions to the oil while it heats up.
- Test the oil by putting in a Plantain slice. If the oil bubbles then the oil is ready for use if it doesn't wait another minute.
- When the oil is ready, fry the plantain in batches. Fry one side for 2-3 minutes then flip to the other side. Fry till the plantains are golden brown.
Notes
- Lay sliced plantains in a single layer in a baking sheet, spray with oil spray and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 mins or until golden brown. Remember to flip plantains half through cooking time.
- Fry plantains in an air fryer
- fry plantains in shallow oil.
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