Plantains are firmer and lower in sugar content than what we know as a "regular banana." Bananas can be eaten raw, because they are soft and sweet. Plantains are more starchy and are better cooked in some way (fried, boiled, baked, etc).
Keep reading to find out how to cook these tropical wonders. We really love them in our house. I've been eating them since I was a kid. My dad used to fry them on the stove in a cast-iron pan (usually) and then he would serve them with yogurt and a sprinkling of dark brown sugar.
And while plantains definitely make a great dessert, there are many other ways to serve them too.
What we do, usually, is sauté them in coconut oil and serve them with a sprinkling of sea salt. The key, however, is to allow them to fully ripen and even become what may seem overipe. You can cook them at varying stages of ripeness, but we prefer them to be quite soft.
So, we let them become blankened and to the untrained eye, it may seem they should be discarded rather than consumed (See pic above).
Where to buy plantains?
We buy organic plantains from our local natural grocer, but I am sure you can find them at a variety of stores.
How to cook plantains:
Peel them as you would a banana, though realize the peel is thicker and they will not peel quite as smoothly as a regular banana.
Sllice them into rounds.
Add coconut oil to a pan and start cookung them on medium heat.
Once they start cooking, you may want to turn the heat down to medium low (every stove is different, adjust as necessary!).
Flip them so that they cook evenly on both sides.
Before they are cooked, they are a peachy color. Once done, they will be a nice golden yellow.
Put them on a plate and sprinkle with some sea salt! Yum!!
Why not fry some potato fries in the same pan whie you're at it?
