Plantains

West to West Kitchen

May 19, 2022

Although plantains look like bananas, they’re not! They’re PLANTAINS! Treated more like a vegetable than a fruit, plantains are part of the day-to-day diet of most West African and Caribbean households. You can have them fried, boiled, microwaved, smashed … whatever way you have them, just have them. We’ve always preferred this beloved vegetable fried, sweet and as a side to any of our dishes.

Best of luck with the cooking. Let us know how it goes and let us know how you prefer your plantains.

One final point, if you’re new to the culinary wonder that is plantain, we cordially invite you to check out our ‘Where Can I Buy Plantains from in Abu Dhabi?’ blog to get you up to speed with everything plantains (including the great “plan-tin”/“plan-tayn” debate).

Total Time

10 – 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 ripe plantains
vegetable oil

Prep Time

2 – 3 minutes

Cooking time

8 – 13 minutes

Directions

Place oil in a frying pan and heat on a high setting. Once the oil is hot (shimmering, not smoking) reduce the heat to a medium setting.
On a chopping board, cut the plantain into slices at an , approximately, 45 degree angle. Each slice should be around, half a centimetre in thickness.
Place oil in a frying pan and heat on a high setting. Once the oil is hot (shimmering, not smoking) reduce the heat to a medium setting.
Carefully place the sliced plantains into the frying pan.
Fry the plantains until they are golden brown. Turn regularly to ensure they do not burn.
Line a bowl with absorbant kitchen towel. Place the fried plantains in the bowl. Dab plantains with kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
Repeat the process until all plantains have been fried.
Enjoy