We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the cousin of our dear friend the banana, the plantain. We here at ONK love plantains. Baked, fried, mashed, ripe, green, every which way we love them and we think you should too. Plantains or plátanos, like bananas are both members of the genus musa. Unlike other cultivars of this genus, plantains are starchier and need to be processed to be made palatable. Don’t get me wrong, you CAN eat a raw plantains. It’s not like asparagus or rhubarb there aren’t any toxins. Plantains are just chalky when they are raw.

Plantains nutritionally are similar to bananas. They are super rich in Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium, and fiber. Additionally, plantains are full of Vitamin A which your standard banana lacks. Because plantains are available year round, it is no wonder plantains are a staple in East, West, and Central Africa, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and Northern coastal areas of South America.

Like bananas, plantains go from a deep green to yellow to black as they ripen. Also, like bananas, plantains grow sweeter as they ripen, but plantains can be used at any stage of ripeness. Plantains have a rind which must be removed prior to cooking. Only very ripe plantains can be peeled like a banana. The peel of immature plantains is very thick and very strong and the interior of the peel is full of a sticky sap that will gum up your fingers. To peel an immature plantain chop off the top and bottom and make two long slits down the length of the fruit. Personally, if I’m going to slice my plantains I usually cut the plantains into 1 inch pieces and then remove the rind because it is easier to remove from the smaller pieces.

Plantains are nearly as versatile in the kitchen as a potato. They can be mashed, fried, grilled, boiled, or baked. There are literally hundreds of ways to prepare plantains, and every region prepares them differently. Our favorite preparation of plantains is tostones, Puerto Rican twice-fried plantains that can be served as a side, snack, or appetizer.

Tostones:

• 4 Green plantains
• sea salt
• enough canola oil to fill your pan 3 inches

Slice your plantains to rounds approximately 1.5 inches thick. Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Drop in the plantains and fry for 3 minutes. You do not want them to be done through as you will be cooking them again. Remove the plantains from the oil and place them on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Use a heavy glass to smash the plantains into patties. Place them back in the oil and cook for another 2-3 minutes (just long enough for the edges to be crispy. Drain on a paper towel again and sprinkle with salt.

Tostones can be served with chorizo, stewed beans, cotija cheese, and/or salsa.