Tips

Plantains

The plantain is a large, firm­-­fleshed banana popular in all the tropical cuisines of the Caribbean and Central America. Unlike other types of bananas, it is eaten cooked, not raw, and is usually served as a vegetable side dish. The banana is one of the few fruits that ripens better off the tree than on it, which of course makes it ideal for shipping to distant lands. The plantains suitable for frying or sautéing are yellow and black on the outside, like regular eating bananas. Firm, all­-­yellow ones are best for fried plantain chips. As they ripen, they turn a mottled yellow and black, and eventually all black, and soften and sweeten dramatically. Too mushy to create crisp chips, these very ripe ones are nevertheless delicious pan­-­fried and served as a side dish. The less­-­ripe green plantains are suitable only for stewing or boiling. Plantains are increasingly available in supermarkets. If you’re unsure about them, ask at your local market.