How to Fry Plantains

Plantains are a staple food in many Caribbean and Hispanic cultures. Frying is the most common way to prepare them. Here's a recipe.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Choose your flavor. Plantains can be eaten at any stage of ripeness. However, each stage has a different taste. Green plantains have a starchy, rich flavor. Yellow plantains are sweeter, and dark brown almost black plantains are the sweetest. Fry a plantain at any stage for a treat.

2. Peel the plantain. The riper the plantain, the easier it is to peel. Cut off both ends and slice the peel along the curved edge. Pull back the sides and remove the plantain from the peel. If the plantain is green, you may have to cut remnants of the peel from the exposed plantain.

3. Cut the plantain into slices. Start at the tip and make even, diagonal incisions. You'll get a smoother fry from pieces without jagged edges.

4. Preheat the skillet to a medium heat. Use a nonstick pan whenever possible. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with oil. If you use delicate oil, like olive oil, coat the plantain slices with the oil instead. Delicate oils break down in high temperatures.

5. Place slices in heated pan. If the skillet is coated, wait for the oil to bubble before inserting the plantains. Otherwise, make sure the pan is evenly heated before inserting the oil-coated slices.

6. Fry the plantains evenly on both sides. They should turn golden brown. Lightly dust with salt, if desired, and serve hot. Enjoy.