Karis Anderson
PLANTAIN 5 WAYS!
I can't lie... plantain has to be one of my favourite things to eat EVER. So it would be rude not to dedicate my 1st post to them! I've only just learned that it is in fact fruit although - it's cooked as a vegetable. I love how versatile & flavoursome it is, the amount of ways you can cook it are endless. But I've narrowed it down to my favourite 5 and broken them down for you. Enjoy!
1. Fried Plantain
The most obvious and the easiest - but you just can't go wrong with a bit of fried plantain.
Ingredients -
2 ripe plantain
vegetable oil
salt
pepper
paprika (optional)
kitchen towel
Heat some oil in a non stick frying pan. While this is getting hot prepare you plantain to be fried. Cut both ends off and then make a slit in the skin running from both ends. Peel off the skin and cut the plantain in either hunks of slices depending on how you like it.
When the oil is hot, place all your plantain pieces into the pan and turn the heat down slightly so they don't burn. Fry both sides until golden brown.
Remove from the pan and place onto a few pieces of kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper and some paprika and shake them up a bit so they're all coated.
These are perfect as a snack, or a side to most meals. I also enjoy them sandwiched in between 2 fat pieces of hard-dough bread and smothered in hot pepper sauce lol.
Enjoy!
2. Plantain Fritters
Ingredients -
3 overripe plantains
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup oat milk
1 onion
1 spring onion
1 tomato
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 scotch bonnet
Salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
oil
kitchen towl
Heat some oil in a non stick frying pan.
Finely chop the onion, spring onion, tomato, peppers and scotch bonnet and place in a large mixing bowl.
Peel and mash up the plantain and add to veg mixture.
Mix in the flour and gradually add in the milk until a thick batter is formed.
Season with the salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper.
Drop the batter into the hot oil by tablespoons and fry on one side until golden brown, and then flip and do the same on the other side.
Remove from pan when cooked and place on some folded kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
Enjoy!
3. Stuffed Plantains
Ingredients -
2 ripe plantains
1 tin green lentils
1 tin chopped tomatoes
3 cloves or garlic
1 onion
1 spring onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 chilli/ scotch bonnet
chestnut mushrooms
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
oil
Preheat the oven to 200°C
While the oven is heating up, cut both ends off your plantain and make a slit in the skin, peal and then make a shallow slit in the plantain longways, leaving about an inch either end. Pull apart slightly, and place in oven to bake for around 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Heat some oil in a deep frying pan or a pot
Chop your onion, spring onion, garlic, peppers, chilli & mushrooms, add to frying pan and cook until soft.
Once cooked through, add the cooked lentils, chopped tomatoes, and seasonings. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, then cover and cook on low for a further 15-20 minutes.
Remove the plantains from oven once golden brown, and once the lentil mixture is cooked, stuff the plantains with it.
Enjoy!
4. Plantain Mash
Ingredients -
3 Ripe Plantain chopped
1/2 onion
1/2 scotch bonnet deseeded
2/3 garlic cloves
sprig of thyme
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 cup or oat milk
Fill a small pot with water, bring to boil and add chopped plantain and a pinch of salt and cook until soft.
Heat up some oil in a pot.
While the oil is getting hot, finely chop up the onion, scotch bonnet and garlic, place in hot oil fry for 4/5 mins or until soft.
Once the plantain is soft, drain and add to the fried veg. Use a potato masher to mash it until desired consistency. Mix in your seasonings to taste, and add some of the milk gradually just to smooth it out a little but not too much, you still want the texture.
Enjoy!
5. Crispy Panko-Plantain
Ingredients -
1/2 ripe plantain
2 cups chickpea flour
1-2 cups panko breadcrumbs
vegetable oil
paprika
salt
pepper
Heat some oil in a pan, enough to deep fry the plantain
place 1 cup of the chickpea flower in a bowl, mix in some water and whisk until en 'eggy' consistency is formed
place the other cup of chickpea flour in another bowl, season with salt, pepper and paprika
place the panko bread crumbs in another bowl and also season with salt, pepper and paprika
cut the plantain into bite size pieces, dip into the chickpea flour, then the chickpea batter, then the panko breadcrumbs and then into the oil to fry, repeat with all pieces and fry until golden brown.
Remove from oil when golden brown on all sides and place on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
Enjoy! These are perfect as a chicken substitute for katsu curry, or just on their own dipped in some chilli sauce.