25 January, 2012

Bananas? No, Plantains!

Let's get simple. This recipe is not long, few ingredients, and a very good turn out..... I mean, they are fried. How could it go wrong?  Plantains are part of the banana family, they come from South America in places like Chile. They have a starchy taste something similar to potatoes. I get mine from the local cattle sale but you can buy them at grocery stores.So here yall go, this is very simple.

I use an iron skillet to fry in, I just pour enough oil in to fill the bottom of the pan about 1/4 inch. Before you turn on the heat, go ahead and cut up the plantains about 1 inch thick. For my family of 9 I like to do about 11 plantains. Put all the cut up plantains into a bowl and then set up a plate near your fryin pan. Along with the empty plate go ahead and grease the bottom of a bowl.  These will be used when you squish the plantains. Set one more plate up on the other side of the fryin pan to put the finished plantains onto.

You will need some tongs to flip the plantains when they are in the hot oil. Turn up the heat to about 4 or 5. The more plantains you put in the pan the quicker they will fry. Begin to place the pieces of plantains into the fryin pan. Fill up the pan but remember that when you double fry them they will be much larger. Leave them in there until both sides are a deeper golden color, flipping them so that each side gets fried. Take out the ones that are done and put them on the plate with the bowl. It's difficult to do all this on your own so I use my sisters. When you squish the fried plantain make sure not to make them flat as a flitter, you want them to be round and somewhat thick. Put them back into the fryin pan and double fry them. When you take them out place them onto the 2nd plate. Because they are starchy add some salt to the finished ones.

These are best served hot and quickly. Even after 30 minutes they aren't as good as when you first pull them out. See? Very good and very simple. I hope you try it soon and enjoy!

Fill up the pan about 1/4 inch oil.
The cut plantains are about an inch in width.
Put all the cut plantains in one easily accessible place.



Grease the bottom of a bowl to keep the plantains from sticking.


All the plantains beautifully fried.


Make sure you don't press too hard. 

Putting the fried plantains back in for the 2nd time. 

Our production line, about 4 or 5 areas. 
There's a better pic of it all. 

Here is the finished plantains! Don't they look great?


Okay, so this batch I did manage to burn a little bit, I had the oil too high. So be careful!!

And there is your wonderful side dish. I like mine thicker and most of the family likes them thinner so you just have to try out with them a bit and see what you like best. Thanks for reading and good luck! 


Gabby .V.

2 comments:

  1. We bought some last week and made them fried!! they were soo good :) Our new favorite dish!

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  2. Aren't they amazing?! Our family loves them as well. Glad yall tried them. =)

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