making plantains?

Question

im not even sure if i spelled plantain right, but how do you prepare them?

Answer 1

I fry them. Cut the plantain in half and then peel it. Then cut it half again so that you should have four medium pieces. Once the pan is at a medium heat, place them on. Now, while they are cooking, I sprinkle cinnamon and suger on top. The key to fryinging them is that the heat isn't too high, medium to low. Low is the best. Flip them over after about 10 minutes or so or when the cooking side is golden.

Yummy!!!

Answer 2

Tostones: Twice Fried Plantain Slices

3 large green or slightly yellow plantains
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt
Essence, recipe follows

In a deep fryer or large skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat to 350 degrees F.

With a sharp knife, cut the ends from each plantain and score the skins lengthwise several times to peel away the skin. Cut the plantains into 1 1/2-inch thick slices. In batches, fry the plantain pieces until just golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain.

Place a plantain slice on a flat work surface, and press down on it firmly with the back of a heavy plate or skillet until flattened to about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining slices.

Reheat the oil and fry the tostones to a deeper color and warmed through, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and Essence. Serve hot.

Essence:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Answer 3

Here in Santo Domingo we call them platanos and you can cook them in many ways. My favorite is platano frito (fried). Also known here as fritos verde (green fried plantains) because the plantain must be green. When they ripen you cook them in another way. To make fritos verde you heat up some oil really hot and peel the plantain then cut it into pieces about half an inch thick. Cut cross wise. These are tossed into the hot oil for a few minutes and then before they are hard you pull them out and squash them with the bottom of a clean pop bottle. Then put them back in for the final fry. If the oil is good and hot and you get the technique down pat then they will be light and cruchy but not to loaded with oil.

Answer 4

Well you can fry them, steam em, boil them, grill em & roast em.

But even better, you can make them in a dessert dish called 'torrones', a filipino recipe.

Spring roll wrappers
Brown Sugar
Plantain
Jack Fruit or Durian

Half the plantains and put one half in a wrapper, sprinkle with sugar and put a slice of jack fruit or durian with it. Roll them up and deep fry in canola oil til golden brown!

tadaaaa the best thing ever.

Answer 5

Don't prepare them until they are black,and somehat soft. Most people split them in two, and saute them in little butter until they are brown. You can serve them with sour cream, powder sugar, or maybe some warm milk. My husband is from Guatemala, and they serve plaintains with refried beans. I know alot of people who boil them in water til soft. I actually like to bake them with some dots of butter and cinnamon sugar. But the most important thing is that the plaintains are pretty ripe before you cook them. I have had plaintains that were black and still hard, so try to get some soft ones.

Answer 6

Boiling works fine whether they are green or ripe.....but there are lots of interesting ways to incorporate them into other dishes:
Mush, tarts, chips, etc.
In the Caribbean, we like to fry the ripe ones, but have paper towels handy because they tend to suck the oil up.

Answer 7

Green plantains, which are very hard and starchy, have little banana flavor and no sweetness. They are generally cooked in the same ways as potatoes. They may be boiled or fried or added to soups and stews. Yellow-ripe plantains are more tender but can be used in these same ways, and will have a creamier texture. They can also be mashed, grilled or baked. Black-ripe plantains are also delicious prepared in any of these methods but have a sweeter flavor and a banana aroma. If you wish to peel the plantain before cooking, the way you go about it depends on its stage of ripeness. Black-ripe fruit can usually be peeled as you would a banana. Other fruit is usually washed, the ends trimmed and the fruit cut across in 2 to 4 sections. The very thick, stiff peel is then cut lengthwise along its four ridges. Remove each strip of skin, starting at a corner and pulling slightly crosswise, rather than down. Remove woody fibers, if necessary with a paring knife.
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Plantain Baked in its Skin

For the simplest, most basic dish, plantain needs nothing more than to be baked in its skin like a potato. Choose brown to black-ripe plantain for full flavor and softness. Rinse and dry as many plantain as needed, usually figuring on one medium sized fruit per person. Trim off tips. Cut a lengthwise slit in each fruit. Set slit-side up in a foil-lined pan and bake in 375 degree F. oven until tender, about 40 minutes. When it is baked, serve whole or separate in lengthwise strips along the natural seed divisions or slice crosswise in rounds or diagonals. Serve with your favorite topping; butter, spices, lime juice, pan drippings or gravy, pineapple and brown sugar or nuts.


Spicy Fried Plantains
4 large plantains, peeled 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, grated 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cloves 2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Vegetable oil for frying
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg


Cut plantains into diagonal slices about 1/2 inch thick. In a bowl, combine ginger, cloves, cayenne, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in water to form a paste. Add plantain slices and toss to coat well. Let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Pour enough oil into large skillet to reach 1/2 inch up the sides. Heat oil over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. In batches, fry plantain slices , turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried plantains to a paper towel lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while frying remaining plantains. Serve warm.


Plantain Soup
3 semi-ripe plantains(yellow with 6 cups chicken broth
some spots) 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large carrot Black pepper
1 tablespoon oil Salt
1/4 cup chopped onion


Cut ends from plantains and peel fruit. Cut fruit into 1/2 inch thick slices. Grate carrot and saute in oil, with onion until tender. In heavy saucepan bring broth to boil with plantains and cumin, add onions and carrot. Simmer, covered until plantains are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. In blender, puree mixture in batches until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Green Plantain Chips

Peel green plantains. Cut diagonally into very thin slices. Let stand in ice water for 1/2 hour. Drain, pat dry. Fry in deep hot oil at 370 degrees F. until lightly browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt. Serve as a garnish with fruit salad or as an appetizer.

Tostones (Fried Plantains)
Serves 4 as a side dish to fried or baked Fish, Pork Chops, Chicken or soups

4 Plantains, Green
3 cloves Garlic, mashed
1 tbsp. Salt
1 quart Water
1 pint Vegetable oil for frying


Mash garlic with salt to a paste. Add to Water and stir well to mix.

Score plantains skin deep along opposite sides and trim of tips 1/2 inch at each end. Under running water peel off skin (makes peeling easier). Cut peeled green plantains into pieces 1 inch thick and place in Garlic water to soak. Do not discard garlic water when plantain is removed later.

Wash, dry then dice Fat Back into 1/2 inch pieces. Fry in vegetable oil to a golden crisp and drain well on paper towel.

Take pieces of plantain drain well and fry in deep oil being careful not to splatter hot oil. Fry to a deep yellow color (do not brown) and drain off oil on paper towel. Flatten fried plantain on wax paper, rewet slightly mashed plantain in original reserved garlic water, shake off excess water and return to hot oil for 1.5 minutes drain off excess oil and place in deep bowl until all pieces have been processed.