Who doesn’t love plantains? Not only are they yummy, sweet and cravable, but they are super cheap! I can get 4/$1 at my local NYC produce market. I always wonder why more “fast food” Mexican restaurants don’t include plantains on their menus. Are you listening Chipotle?
But the big question: Are plantains healthy? They are usually fried and soaked in grease when ordered as a side dish at a fancy restaurant, and most likely come served with a dollop of sour cream or crumbly white cheese. And suddenly the simple starchy plantain turns into a big greasy mess! Well guess what, with a simple do-it-yourself olive oil saute, plantains can be quite healthy. They are high in fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C. Click ahead to find out more plantain nutrition highlights and serving ideas….
Plantains for All. I often order a side of plantains whenever I see them on a menu. It’s hard to get them wrong. However, the amount of oil used for ‘fried’ plantains in restaurants really doesn’t make me happy or healthy. My answer: I make them at home! Plantains are super simple to make. Simply lightly grease a pan and saute them in a bit of olive oil. Add some lime juice, agave syrup and salt for flavor accents. I like them sliced in long angled strips. You can also slice them into simple coin shapes. You can even mash plantains as you would a sweet potato. The more oil you use in the cooking process, the more you pack on the calories. So try to keep it light. Plantains are delicious as a Mexican inspired side dish, packed into a burrito or as an ingredient option for fajita night. The natural sweetness of plantains meshes perfectly with a spicy red salsa, the heartiness of whole black beans and alongside some cool creamy guacamole. Add plantains to your next Mexican feast!
Plantain Nutrition Facts
1 cup slices, 154 g
*from nutritiondata.com
Calories: 179
fat: 0 g
protein: 1 g
carbs: 48 g
fiber: 4 g
potassium: 20% RDA
vitamin C: 28% RDA
vitamin A: 28% RDA
vitamin B6: 18% RDA
Magnesium: 12% RDA
Folate: 12% RDA
Plantains are a great source of fiber and vitamins C and A. They are also high in vitamin B6, magnesium and folate. One cup of plantains contains more potassium that one cup of banana slices. 20% RDA in plantains compared to 15% RDA in bananas.
Jillian is right about the Caribbean influence in the cooking of plantains, they are also used in parts of Mexico like the Yucatan which shares many Caribbean influences.
They way Cubans enjoy them are as “Tostones” or “Platanos Maduros”. To make tostones you take green plantains and cut them about 1 inch thick, heat oil and fry them on each side until golden brown. You take them out at this point and mash them down so that they fan out to twice their original diameter. You then pass them through a shallow bowl of warm water that is salted to taste, with fresh garlic added. Once they have all been baptized, you fry them up until golden brown and remove them to a paper plate or paper towel to absorb the extra oil. At this point you lightly salt them to taste. They will be crunchy, delicious and make for a great side dish to a meal with meat, rice and beans. Cubans also make a “Mojo” that you can dip them in comprised of olive oil and fresh crushed garlic.
Maduros are made with ripe plantains when the skin is already black in color. You slice them in a diagonal manner at about ½ an inch thick. They are fried until golden brown or darker and will when removed, sprinkle with salt to taste. They are soft, sweet and are usually enjoyed with rice, black beans and meat.
There is another way to prepare plantians called “Fufu”, which comes from Cuba’s rich African influence. Drop me a line if you are interested in this style as it is a more involved process but worth the effort. Enjoy!
While I do agree that plantains are a versatile fruit, I think it should be known that plantains are part of the Caribbean cuisine, not Mexican. So it's possible that restaurants like Chipotle will never have plantains on their menu if they want to stick with authenticity.
Burpandslurp,
hehe what a fun name…
Anyways-I just posted a delicious Plantain Poblano Tofu wrap recipe. Check it out!
Kathy
Andrea,
I've always wondered if plantains could simply be used more like potatoes-as a starchy ingredient-green plantains would be interesting to experiment with because usually I stick with yellow. Thanks for the idea!
Kathy
I only just discovered the joys of plantains, but am not sure what is the best way to prepare them. If you come up with any great recipes, please let me know! 🙂
I love plantains, but never get them. I really like your seasoning idea and cooking them in a healthy way!
When we were in Ecuador, green plantains were often cooked in soup, and tasted like white potatoes. They weren't sweet or oily prepared this way.
MMMM I love plantains, especially in curries!!
I so agree. Black beans and plantains-such a great combo. Add some spicy chunky limey guac and a few corn tortillas and I am set!
Kathy
My favorite way to have plantains is with black beans cooked with onion,garlic and jalapeños.Hmm filling ^_^