How to Cook Cuban-Style Sweet Plantains
A plantain looks like a banana, but it is actually a starchy food used in a variety of sweet and savory recipes. Unlike bananas, plantains cannot be eaten raw and almost have no flavor until cooked. In Cuba, the traditional method for preparing plantains is to fry them. When purchasing plantains for frying, you need a fully-ripened one. Look for black peels, but make sure the plantain is still firm. Mushy or cracked plantains will not hold up when fried. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2 ripe plantains
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Frying pan
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- Plate covered with paper towel
Instructions
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1
Peel the plantain. Cut into 1-inch thick slices and set aside.
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2
Place a frying pan on the stove top. Add enough oil to come at least half way up the side of the plantain slices when they lay flat in the pan. Heat the oil on medium heat until hot.
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3
Test the heat of the oil by dropping a droplet of water into the pan. If the water sizzles, the pan is ready.
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4
Place plantain pieces into the pan with equal amount of space between. Fry 1 to 2 minutes on the first side. Flip the slices over and fry again for 1 to 2 minutes.
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5
Reduce the heat on the stove top to low. Continue to fry the plantains in the oil. Turn often so that both sides are equally browned.
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6
Remove plantains from the oil and place on a plate covered in a paper towel. Pat off the excess oil and serve.
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References
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