Fried plantain

Maybe it is not pretty, but it is delicious and nutritious. Plantain is a staple in many tropical countries for a good reason. It is readily available, inexpensive, and it offers many nutritional benefits. However, it is also readily available in Canada. You probably haven’t even looked at it, as it doesn’t seem very attractive on the shelf. In fact, when it is ready for consumption, it looks quite ugly, dark brown. But you should buy and try it, and here is why.

Plantain is a cousin of the sweet banana, but it is quite starchy and it cannot be eaten raw. It is rich in complex carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins A, C and B6, as well as magnesium and potassium, and it is easily digestible. So it has many health benefits, and it is also cheap. In the supermarket, you will find it in the vegetable section, and sometimes it is marked as Thai banana. How to choose it: basically the darker and uglier it looks, the better. Seriously. We often have it ripen at home for several days.

What to do with a plantain? You can incorporate it in stews, meat or meatless, or you can grill it. Or you can go all out and make our favourite: caramelized in butter. When it is VERY ripe, peel it, slice it, and slowly fry it in butter until it gets nicely caramelized. “Slowly” is the key. It is not as sweet as a banana, it should get a little mushy on the inside. We actually add a little bit of salt to it, as it brings out the flavours. It goes well with… well, everything. For breakfast, with eggs; for lunch and dinner, as a side dish. Enjoy!