Fried plantains are a delicious side dish as well as a traditional dessert typical of Latin American countries. Fried green plantains – “tostones” – are very crunchy and savory, and are often served instead of french fries. Meanwhile, sweet fried plantains are served with cinnamon and sugar, making it an incredibly delicious dessert. Read from step one to the end to find out how to make fried plantains in both ways.
Ingredients
Fried Plantains
- 1 kg raw plantain
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- Salt as a flavoring
Sweet Fried Plantains
- 1 kg of ripe plantain
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- Sugar and cinnamon for flavoring
Step
Method 1 of 2: Frying Green Plantains
Step 1. Take a green plantain
Fried green plantains are made with unripe plantains. If it's your first time dealing with plantains, look for large plantains that are still green. Green plantains are perfect for a delicious side dish. If you want a sweeter version of fried plantains, you'll need to use ripe plantains.
- Green plantains should be firm with a green skin color without much bruising.
- If you'd like, buy a bunch of plantains, then use some of the bananas to cook while they're raw and some to cook them once they're ripe for a week or two to make sweet bananas.
Step 2. Peel the plantains
Green plantain peels are too tough to peel like regular bananas. Use a paring knife to cut off the ends of the plantains. Slice using a knife along the skin of the plantain to remove the skin from end to end. Use your fingers to peel the banana clean, then remove the skin.
Step 3. Slice the plantains into smaller pieces
Place the bananas on a cutting board and slice diagonally 3 cm each. This is the usual way of slicing tostones.
Alternatively, slice the bananas into long, flat strips so they will curl when fried
Step 4. Heat the oil
Pour the oil into the dutch oven or skillet until it reaches a height of 1.5 cm from the oven/pan. Heat evenly, until it is hot enough to gurgle when you add a few bananas. The temperature should be around 170 degrees Celsius.
Step 5. Fry the plantains
Place the banana pieces in the hot oil and fry until they are tender and golden, which should take about 5 minutes. Turn the banana slices over when the cooking process is half done. When they start to turn golden, transfer the bananas to paper towels lined on a plate to allow the oil to dry.
- Make sure you fry the plantains in a single layer, so they all cook evenly. Do not overcrowd the oven/pan. If you need, you can fry the bananas in two sessions.
- Keep the oil in the oven/pan, as you will be frying the plantains one more time.
Step 6. Dip the plantain pieces in the salt water
Fill a small bowl with water and add a little salt. Dip the banana pieces one by one in the salt water. This process will soften the bananas so they will feel creamy on the inside.
You can skip this step if you want, but the plantains will be a little dry
Step 7. Beat the plantain pieces
Lay them out on a plate and use the back of a spatula to lightly beat them. This will flatten the banana slices so they will be crispier and thinner when fried.
Step 8. Fry them again
After dipping the plantain pieces in the water, put them back in the hot oil a second time. Fry until the bananas turn golden brown, about 3 minutes, then flip them if needed. When the bananas have turned golden brown, transfer them onto paper towels lined up on a serving plate.
Step 9. Serve the bananas with hot sauce
Sprinkle the bananas with a little salt and serve. Fried green plantains go great with aioli, spicy mayonnaise, cilantro sauce, and sweet pepper sauce.
Method 2 of 2: Frying Sweet Plantains
Step 1. Prepare the ripe plantains
The sweet plantains are already slightly soft when you press them. Its skin is dotted with yellow and brown. If you find green plantains, allow them a few days to ripen to make a sweet dessert.
Step 2. Peel the bananas
Use a paring knife to cut off the ends of the plantains. Slice using a knife along the skin of the plantain to remove the skin from end to end. Use your fingers to peel the banana clean, then remove the skin.
Step 3. Slice the banana diagonally
Place the bananas on a cutting board and cut them into 2 cm long strips. If you like the plantains thicker, slice the bananas into 3cm pieces. For thin, crunchy plantains, slice them about 1cm per slice.
Step 4. Heat the oil
Pour the oil into the skillet or frying pan until it fills about 1.5 cm from the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil until the frying thermometer shows 340 degrees Fahrenheit.
For a lightly oiled dish, add a little oil to the skillet and heat until it gurgles when you add a few pieces of plantain
Step 5. Fry the plantains
Place them in hot oil and fry until crispy and browned on one side, which will probably take about 2 minutes. Turn them over and fry the other side until both sides are golden brown. The longer they are fried, the sweeter they will be.
Step 6. Drain the plantains
Remove the bananas from the hot oil and place them on a paper towel lined on a plate until they are completely dry.
Step 7. Serve hot with sugar
Sprinkle granulated sugar over the bananas and cinnamon for added flavor. To make the meal even more delicious, add a heap of fresh whipped cream to the top of the fried plantains.
Tips
- Make fried plantains for reunions, Thanksgiving, Christmas and other occasions.
- Thinly slice them for a crunchier texture.
Warning
- Let the bananas cool before eating. The inside of the banana will take a while to cool (or maybe the outside will cool too quickly).
- Pay attention to personal safety when cooking.
