Shared by Christina Whittaker
Shared by Christina Whittaker
Fried Sweet Plantains
Yield: 4 servingsTime: 20 minutes
Fried Sweet Plantains
Yield: 4 servingsTime: 20 minutesFamily Journey
Old Harbour Bay, JamaicaBronx, NYDavie, FL
Brooklyn, NY
JFS Operations Manager Christina Whittaker grew up with fried sweet plantains on her Jamaican grandmother Gloria's table, but she could never bring herself to eat them as a kid. “I didn’t eat fried plantains until I was an adult — but now I love them!” she shares. Christina fries up batches for special occasions.
Fried plantains generally fall into two categories: sweet plantains and starchy green ones. They are made with the same fruit, but at different stages of ripeness. For this recipe, be sure to use extra ripe plantains, which will have mostly black peels (not unlike the best bananas for banana bread). If you can only find green plantains, store them at room temperature in a paper bag, which helps speed up ripening.
Read more about Christina’s family in “Finding Identity at a Jamaican Shabbat Table” and try her recipes for steamed red snapper with pumpkin and okra, oxtail stew and coconut gizzada tartlets.
Ingredients
- 4 large, extremely ripe plantains (the peels should be close to back and the plantains should be soft)
- 1½ cups avocado oil
- Sea salt, for serving
Preparation
Step 1
Trim the ends of the plantains and peel them. Cut the plantains into diagonal, 1-inch slices.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place 1 plantain piece in oil. If it bubbles vigorously, the oil is ready.
Step 3
Working in batches, add the plantains to the skillet and cook 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
Step 4
Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until the plantains are soft and deeply golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet tray and season liberally with sea salt. Serve hot. Plantains can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
