How to Fix Sweet Plantains

So, what’s the difference between a plantain and a banana? Well for one thing, even though they look like a banana, plantains should never be eaten raw, always cook and prepare them before eating so that you don’t get sick from them. When cooked they do taste like a banana and are sweet to eat. They are found in many countries, and are a very popular produce item. Even the U.S. has sweet plantains in grocery stores, especially in the areas of the states where there is a larger than average Hispanic population. Just as there are banana chips, there are plantain chips as well. Interested in preparing them for yourself? Here are a couple of recipes to get you started.

This recipe calls for ripe plantains, which are also referred to as sweet plantains. This type of plantain is a favorite in many households as a side dish or desert. This recipe calls for very ripe and sweet plantains that have nearly blackened skins. If your plantains are still very green, you can ripen them faster by placing them into a closed brown paper bag.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

1. Cover the bottom of a skillet with oil and warm over medium heat.

2. Cut each sweet plantain diagonally and place them into the oil.

3. Turn carefully in the oil, and remove each as they turn golden brown.

4. Place on a paper towel to completely drain the oil.

5. Serve warm with ice cream.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Place the sweet plantains into the pan with their flat side down at first. Sauté the plantains, turn them carefully until they are browned completely on both sides. Their middles should be tender.

2. Transfer the sweet plantains into a food processor’s mixing bowl while still hot. Puree the plantains until they are smooth. Add 1 cup of water while the food processor is mixing, then add the puree to a medium sauce pan.

3. In the sauce pan, whisk in the remaining 3 cups of water. Place the pan over medium heat and add the lemon juice. Heat the soup until it begins to slowly boil.

4. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

5. Serve warm using salt and pepper to taste.