If you are looking for healthy plantain recipes, you have to try boiled plantain.
It is as easy as it gets and the plantains still retain their delicious, naturally-sweet taste.
Plantains
You may call it cooking bananas; but here in the Caribbean and Latin America too, we call large, thicker skinned bananas – plantains.
They are usually starchy and can be eaten while green or when ripe.
Green plantains make wonderful chips and are great substitutes to regular potato fries.
But, ripe plantains are where all the sweetness and flavor are at.
They have this starchy but sweet banana flavor that can complement both sweet and savory dishes.
Some even eat it raw! But, in the Caribbean, we prefer to cook it.
Fried ripe plantain is a very popular side dish when served with hot sada roti in Trinidad. I have had this combo for years (with tomato choka), especially when growing up.
But, fried foods are not exactly in the healthy foods category. That’s where boiled plantains come in. It is one healthy plantain recipe and is THE simplest way to cook ripe plantains. It’s practically fool-proof!
How to Make Boiled Plantain
How to boil plantains? It’s simple but I insist on very ripe plantains with a couple black spots for this recipe. Ripe fruits tend to be much, much sweeter – I prefer it sweeter, and I’m sure you will too.
Wash the fruit and cut both ends of the plantain. Slice into the thick peel along the length of the fruit. You should be able to pull the peel off from there. It’s so easy to do.
You can leave the peel on too; but I prefer to remove it.
Next, cut the plantains into thick slices.
Add to a pot of boiling water and cook until the slices soften.
Use a fork to check the softness of the slices. It usually takes about 15 to 25 minutes to completely soften.
You’ll see a lot of starchy froth in the water at the end. Strain this water and rinse the cooked slices to remove that starchiness.
You can serve as is; or add some salt and pepper for more flavor. Add the slices to salads or use as a simple side dish with rice and beans or Trini pelau.
Isn’t boiled plantain the simplest plantain recipe?
Recipe
Boiled Plantain
Ingredients
- 2 large plantains
- salt, pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the plantains.
- Remove both ends of the fruit.
- Slice into the peel along the length of the plantains.
- Pull to remove the peel.
- Slice into half inch pieces.
- Add to boiling water and cook until the slices have softened.
- Strain.
- Rinse the slices to remove any starchy residue.
- Serve as is or with salt and pepper.
Interested in more plantain recipes? Take a look at these:
I received plantains as a gift well I knew nothing about how to fix them I found your page . I boiled them and I put them in my oatmeal this morning. I do not add sugar I add things like a poached eggs .avocado and now plantains they made the oat meal taste sweet