Make Fried Ripe Plantains in Less Than 10 Minutes (2024)

FAQs

How to fry ripe plantains? ›

Add 2 tablespoons oil, such as canola or vegetable, to a nonstick skillet to coat the bottom of the pan, and place it on medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the plantains in batches. Fry the plantains on each side until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes on one side, and about 1 minute on the other side.

Ideal for dipping, they are both a common side dish and a ubiquitous snack food throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. But since the unripe plantains don't taste like much on their own, soaking the slices in salt water will help draw out their subtle flavors.

The fruit needs only a few minutes on each side until the outside hits an appealing golden-brown color. Anything darker and the result will be too dry; anything less, and the plantains will remain hard.

I used about 1/4 cup canola oil, with three tablespoons of sesame oil, three pats of butter, and salt added to the pan. No lemon or sugar. My wife and I went wild for them. Soooo good.

However, there is one key step that you don't want to get wrong: Salting the plantains before putting them in the awaiting oil in the frying pan. Olayinka explained that while you could salt them after they cook, she prefers to salt them beforehand because the plantains are stickier when they're raw.

To make these Fried Plantains with Cinnamon, I used ghee to fry them in. Ghee has a really high smoke point, so it won't burn over high heat. I slice the plantains into rounds, then fry each side in ghee until lightly golden brown. Watch these carefully because they'll burn quickly.

A ripe plantain is best when it's mostly black with a little yellow, and still slightly firm to the touch, like when you squeeze a peach.

When plantains ripen, the fire used in frying converts their sweetness (fructose) into acidity. This transformation makes ripe plantains highly acidic and potentially harmful to the body, especially the liver.

While they taste absolutely amazing, fried plantains aren't exactly a healthy choice if fried in an unhealthy oil. It's better to think of plantains as a starchy vegetable or a substitute for potatoes. Their texture and mild flavor really shines when baked or grilled.

How to quickly ripen plantains? ›

Place the plantains in a paper bag. The bag will trap the plantains' ethylene gas, which helps ripen them faster. Then you can place the bag in a warm, dry place. They should be ripe within a few days!

If the outer skin is very brown or black and there's a strong, unpleasant odor from the plantain, it's a sign that it is spoiled. Also, take a peek at the fruit itself - if the flesh has turned dark or gray and has a putrid smell, it's time to toss it.

Plantains can be cooked when they're green or yellow but, for frying, they're best when they're mostly black with a little bit of yellow still left. I once tried frying plantains when they were still mostly yellow with a few black spots, and they were a little on the dry side and not as flavorful.

Slice the plantains crosswise into thick slices, about 1¼ inches. (You should get about 5 slices per plantain.) In a bowl large enough to hold the plantains, combine the salt with ½ cup water and stir until dissolved. Add plantains and set aside to soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

If you leave it in a bag or under an upturned bowl, or better still in a fridge, it'll be fine. It's unripe, so the starches aren't going to be turning into sugars immediately. If you left it out with a load of ripe plantains it would start to ripen more quickly, but not overnight.

If you buy them green, they will take about a week to start to change colors. It will take another three days to turn yellow green and another two or three days to change to the final yellow and black. Plantains are harvested when they are green, at which point the flavor is earthy, vegetal and funky, Diaz says.