Ever heard of a fruit called plantain? In fact, plantain is a term used to describe processed bananas and distinguishes these varieties from fruit bananas, which are better known as “bananas” and can be eaten directly without having to be processed first. Unlike people in Africa, the Caribbean Islands, and Central and South America who cultivate processed bananas as a staple food, in Indonesia itself, processed bananas such as horn bananas and kepok bananas are generally only fried or boiled before eating. If you are interested in serving boiled bananas to your loved ones at home, always choose a banana that is green or yellow in color, has a firm texture, and has an unblemished skin to ensure the end result is not too mushy. After that, cut the ends of the bananas, cut the flesh in half, and immediately boil them in a pot of boiling water. Boil the bananas for 15-30 minutes, or until they turn dark yellow in color and are very sweet in taste.
Ingredients
- 2-5 green or yellow processed bananas
- Water
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp. olive oil (optional)
- tsp. onion powder (optional)
Step
Part 1 of 3: Cutting and Peeling Plantain
Step 1. Choose bananas that are ripe, but still have a firm texture
Since very hot water will soften the texture of the bananas, it's best to choose bananas that are ripe but still firm when pressed. If you want to use yellow bananas, choose one that is still solid in texture with minimal brown stains on the surface of the skin. Meanwhile, if you want to use green bananas, choose one that is evenly green in color and doesn't have a single stain on its surface.
If the banana is too ripe, it is feared that the texture will become too soft when ripe
Step 2. Cut the ends of the bananas
Place the bananas on a cutting board, then use a very sharp knife to cut about 2 inches (2.5 cm) of the top and bottom stems to make the banana peel easier to peel.
Also, removing the banana stems will make it easier for the hot moisture to enter the banana flesh and make it ripen faster
Step 3. Cut the banana in half
Place the bananas on a cutting board, then cut the bananas into two equal parts. In particular, the banana needs to be reduced in size to make it easier to fit into the pan.
Since processed bananas are generally much tougher than fruit bananas, make sure the knife you use is really sharp
Step 4. Peel the bananas to shorten the boiling time
Once halved, use the tip of a knife to slice off the skin that sticks along the surface of the banana. Then, peel the banana skin until the flesh is visible. Do this very carefully so that the tip of the knife does not damage or scratch the flesh.
- Peeled bananas don't need to be boiled too long.
- If you wish, you can peel the bananas once they are fully ripe.
Part 2 of 3: Heating Water
Step 1. Fill a large pot with water
Make sure the size of the pan you use is big enough to hold all the bananas you want to boil. If you want to boil a large number of bananas at once, use a saucepan. However, if you only want to boil 1-2 bananas, just use a deep frying pan.
Don't overfill the pot so the water doesn't overflow when it boils
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil
Turn on the stove over high heat, then bring the water to a boil. Although it really depends on the size of the pot you're using, the water should start boiling within 6-10 minutes.
If you're in a hurry, slice and peel the bananas while waiting for the water to boil
Step 3. Add a pinch of salt to the water
If you want, you can add enough salt to the banana cooking water, to give it a savory taste that can balance out the natural sweetness of the banana.
- If you don't know how much salt you need, try adding 1 tsp. salt first. After all, the dose can always be increased after the bananas are ripe so that the taste is more according to your taste.
- Do not add too much salt so that the natural deliciousness of the banana is not lost.
Part 3 of 3: Boiling the Plantain
Step 1. Boil bananas for 15-30 minutes
While boiling, the hot water will break down the very high sugar content in the bananas, and make their natural sweetness stronger once the bananas are ripe. After simmering for 15-20 minutes, the banana should turn a dark yellow color, and the texture should soften.
- Set an alarm or other timer to monitor the boiling time of bananas.
- If there is still white flesh after the recommended duration is over, it means the bananas are not fully ripe and need to be re-boiled for another 5-6 minutes, or until the color of the entire surface has turned completely yellow.
- Green processed bananas take about 30 minutes to fully ripen.
Step 2. Drain the ripe bananas with the help of tongs
Since the bananas will be very hot at this stage, make sure you pick them up with special cooking utensils. If you don't have food tongs, try poking them with a knife/fork, or picking them up with a metal spatula.
- Place the boiled bananas on a paper towel to drain the excess water, or transfer them directly to a serving plate.
- Never take food out of boiling water with your hands! Be careful, doing so can cause serious burns!
Step 3. Refrigerate bananas for 2-3 minutes before serving
After most of the hot steam is gone, the bananas can be eaten immediately, after all, boiled bananas are better eaten warm than when the temperature is still very hot!
If the banana has not cooled down completely, your mouth may burn when you eat it
Step 4. Peel the boiled banana with the skin
To avoid burning your hands from direct contact with hot banana peels, do this with the help of a fork and knife! Once separated from the flesh, remove the banana peel and enjoy the flesh immediately.
Remember, processed bananas should always be peeled before eating
Step 5. Mash the boiled banana to enjoy its soft texture
If you want, the last but optional step you can take is to mash the bananas with the back of a fork until they are soft, creamy, and not lumpy. Feel free to do this if you prefer to eat fruit purees that are very soft in texture.
- Boiled, mashed bananas are a very popular breakfast menu in the Dominican Republic, and are known locally as “mangu”.
- The traditional version of mangu is generally seasoned with olive oil and ground onion to give it a touch of savory taste. For every 2 bananas, add about 1 tbsp. oil and tbsp. onion powder.
Tips
- If you have trouble finding fresh, processed bananas at the supermarket, try shopping at the market or specialty fruit shops.
- Serve cooked Nigerian-style boiled bananas by adding a simple chili sauce made from a mixture of oil, diced onions and bell peppers.
- Processed bananas are delicious, nutritious, and quite filling even when served without any additives, especially if you have limited time to prepare other side dishes.
