Easy Plantain Fritters Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you need to soak plantains before frying? ›

Soak green plantains before frying them to keep the fruit from oxidizing quickly. As soon as you slice the green plantains, put them in a little salt water to keep the plantains from turning brown; it also helps season them.

But since fried plantains are usually fried in lots of oil, the amount of added fat (and oftentimes salt) makes them a less healthy option than baked plantains, especially for people who are watching their fat and sodium intakes.

Why are my fried plantains hard? Two reasons: They may have been cooked too fast, so you need to cook them on a lower temperature for a longer time. Or, you used unripe plantains.

The most important thing to note when making plantain chips is to make sure that the slices are thin so that they crisp up in the oil. Using a mandoline, slice the plantains. At this point, you can either slice the plantain directly into the oil or you can slice them into a bowl to get them ready for frying later.

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.

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. Thus, the flavor of the salt is much more likely to be infused into the plantains — allowing them to be as tasty as possible.

Plantains vs bananas: nutrition

The starch in plantains is high in nutrients and – as long as you cook them properly – you can eat more plantains than bananas in a serving. They are used in more savoury dishes, while bananas are cooked in recipes that call for even more sugar, making plantains overall a bit healthier.

5 If you're not used to eating a lot of fiber, plantains can cause discomfort like gas, bloating, and constipation. Increase your intake slowly, allow plantains to ripen fully, and cook before eating to reduce digestive distress.

Cooked plantains are nutritionally very similar to a potato, calorie-wise, but contain more of certain vitamins and minerals. They're a rich source of fiber, vitamins A, C, and B-6, and the minerals magnesium and potassium. This hidden superfood warrants a trip your local grocery. Read on to learn why.

Tips for Making Delicious Fried Plantains

The Right Pan—A ripe plantain has a high sugar content, and since sugar burns quickly and sticks, a nonstick skillet is the best choice for the job. Another benefit of using a nonstick skillet is that the cooked plantain will release easily from the pan.

Can you eat plantains raw? ›

Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter.

pan fried sweet plantains. I personally like to use plantains that are yellow but not too ripe yet. They are still firm but give a little and don't have many black spots yet. You can use half-ripe or fully ripe plantains for this recipe though.

If you have plantains that you won't be able to use within the given timeframe, you can also freeze them. Peel and cut the plantains into slices, then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Frozen plantains can last for several months and are perfect for later use in smoothies or cooking.

Fried green plantains are great right out of the oil because they are crunchy. If left overnight the turn soft and stale. It's safe to eat them but you will regret it.

Soak in a bowl of salted cold water for 30 minutes. 2Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375°F. 3Drain plantains and pat dry. Working in batches, fry the chips, agitating them with a fork so they don't sick together.

There are a few reasons for the garlic-lime water soak: It prevents the tostones from oxidizing. In order to prepare tostones most of the way in advance, many cooks will peel, fry, and smash their plantains ahead of time, and then wait until just before serving for the final fry.

Fried unripe plantain was richer in carbohydrate. Fried unripe plantain was preferred in taste, colour, texture and Aroma.

The darker/heavily spotted your plantains are, the sweeter they will be. Oil– I use vegetable oil for pan frying but any neutral oil will do the trick. Flavorless/neutral oils include canola, avocado, and grapeseed oil. While I grew up on frying them in oil, you can also fry plantains in butter as well!