Have you ever had green plantains? I was first introduced to plantains after starting the Paleo diet several years ago. Where had these been all of my life???? They are now a staple in our house and a family favorite. My daughter actually giggles when I tell her I’m making plantains.
Plantains are in the banana family. While their shape is similar to a banana, they are typically larger than bananas and have a thicker exterior skin. The green ones are starchy and lower in sugar than bananas. Plantains should be cooked before consumption. They are a much more versatile cooking ingredient than bananas and mostly like a vegetable. Plantains are high in carbohydrates, so eat them in moderation. As they ripen from green to yellow to brown, the sugar content increases as well as the sweetness. They are mainly grown in tropical climates and are popular staples in the diets of Western Africa and Caribbean countries.
I have yet to be able to find these organic at any grocery store or farmer’s market. Also, they aren’t sold at every grocery store. Sometimes they can be a challenge to find. Whole Foods, Sprouts, EarthFare, Super H-Mart and larger farmer’s markets typically carry them. Publix and Kroger have been hit or miss when I’ve tried to find them there.
The hardest part of cooking with green plantains is learning how to remove the skin. Once you peel and cut the skin off, the rest is a breeze. They are firmer than bananas to cut.
These are wonderful with just Himalayan Pink salt added after they are cooked. They are excellent with guacamole or just a plain avocado! It makes a great appetizer, dinner side or snack. I prefer them best right out of the oven. They are delicious!
Plantain chips are one of the few processed foods we buy. They are a great convenience food when you are limited. My husband and I always carry a bag of these on work or family trips when we know our food choices will be limited. Our favorite brands of chips are Sprouts, Artisan Tropic, and Inka Crops. We order Inka Chips here and Artisan Tropic from Amazon or their direct site. Look for the varieties fried in palm oil or coconut oil, which are heat stable fats. These are still not super healthy, but they are far superior to other types of chips fried in unhealthy oils such as sunflower, canola, safflower, corn, etc. We do limit our consumption of these. Freshly cooked foods always win over bagged foods, and the fresh food tastes much better as well.
I highly recommend getting outside your comfort zone and trying the recipe if you’ve never had them. I hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how good they are.
- 4 Green plantains with little to no yellow or brown spots (I've never found organic green or yellow plantains).
- Approximately 3-4 Tablespoons Organic Red Palm Oil or enough oil to coat the plantains (olive, avocado, and coconut oils are also good choices)
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash the outside of the plantains.
- Cut off the ends and then slice a thin line in the outside peeling. The peel is the hardest part of the process. Since they are green, the peel won't come off easily. The slice in the peel allows you to pull the peeling back. However, sometimes, a knife will be needed to cut parts of the peel off.
- Once all of the peeling and any remnants of peeling are peeled or cut off using a knife, lay the plantain on a glass cutting board or ceramic plate and slice into circles approximately ¼" thick. Not too thin or too thick is best.
- Red Palm Oil needs to be melted. It is a solid at room temperature. Use a stainless steel skillet to melt the oil.
- Toss the plantains in a glass or stainless steel bowl and coat with oil. The oil amount will vary by the size of the plantains, so just make sure they are coated (not completely soaked in oil). If you don't include enough oil, they will dry out quickly and not taste as good. Adjust the oil accordingly.
- Line a cookie sheet or tray with unbleached parchment paper.
- Lay one single layer of plantains flat on the unbleached parchment paper and do not lay them on top of each other. Space slightly apart.
- Place the tray in the oven on the bottom rack of a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Cook for approximately 25-27 minutes or until they are golden brown on one side. I recommend checking at 25 minutes. Different ovens and the size of the plantains will alter the time needed. If they aren't brown, place back in the oven leaving them on that same side for another 3-5 minutes and continue to keep a close eye on them.
- When brown, turn them over with a spatula or individually with a fork and place back in the oven for approximately 8-12 minutes. Keep a close eye on them and check them after 10 minutes. If they are nice and brown, they are done. If not, place them back in for five minute increments until brown.
- The cooking time will vary based on the size of the plantains. If they look dry, coat them again with a little more oil (not as much as before since they won't be cooking as long) using a brush or drizzle oil on the parchment paper and use a spoon or spatula to coat them in oil.
- This is when personal preference comes into play. The more brown and crunchy you like them, the longer they should cook. This is your recipe to perfect and enjoy. Taste one. If it isn't brown enough, place it back in for longer. You are the boss!
- Note that they will burn and get very crunchy (sometimes too crunchy) if you leave them in too long.
- Sprinkle as desired with Himalayan Pink salt. Enjoy!!
