Plantain chips
Plantains. My first experience with these members of the banana family was in the mid-’90s. I was completing my teacher training in Boston in predominantly Hispanic-populated school. I was assigned to a second grade bilingual classroom where the children represented either the Cuban, Puerto Rican, or Dominican populations. Since this was back before No Child Left Behind, there was more opportunity to let loose a little. So, my mentor teacher and I decided to have a Hispanic Thanksgiving celebration in November. Oh boy… I still remember the foods, the smells, the smiles, and the laughter; it was a wonderful and most memorable experience. The dish that stuck with me was the mangu, but each were delicious in various ways.
It’s easy to confuse plantains and bananas. Although similar, plantains are starchy and are used as a vegetable. They are usually green, or black if ripe, and have significantly thicker skins with natural brown spots and rough areas.
I had only cooked plantains once before now, sautéing sweet plantains in a little butter. This time, I decided to make plantain chips by simply slicing them thinly (¼-inch thick) and frying them until lightly browned and crisp. I seasoned them with a mixture of garlic and curry powders, seasoned salt and ground pepper. Now, I got my hand slapped by one of the guys at the restaurant who is Jamaican. He told me never to salt plantains like I did. Ahh! Everyone has their own tastes… and only used a smidge of seasoned salt with the powders. By the nibbling that happened after I left them out on my work staion, others thought my chips were tasty. So, while I might have made them incorrectly for some, my plantain chips worked for me.
If you’re not a fan of frying – I am typically not, but I was at the restaurant, which made it easy – you can bake plantains as well. Check out various ways to make chips here. They are a healthier alternative to greasy, packaged potato chips.
For more information about plantains, head over here or here. Cynthia (Tastes Like Home) has also written several fabulous articles various ways to prepare plantains. Check them out here or here.
