Fried sweet plantains

Fried sweet plantains have no right being as good as they are. They are perfect, a little caramelized, a little tangy, sweet. Ridiculously simple to make. Keep trying to make them for B while he’s asleep for a future snack, but I eat them all before they make it to the fridge…

To make fried plantains, get one or more super ripe (should look terrible, almost but not quite black) plantains. Plátanos maduros. Peel the plantain(s), then slice on the bias in to long strips about 1/4 inch thick.

Heat up a large nonstick pan over medium low heat with a generous amount of coconut oil.

You want to cook it pretty low and slow, since this allows the heat to penetrate the whole strip of plantain before the outside caramelizes and burns. So err on the side of lower rather than higher with the heat, you can always turn it up later. And you’re pan frying these, so when I say generous, I mean generous with the oil. You want the oil to come a tiny bit up the sides of each of the slices. They don’t need to be swimming though, just having a little paddle.

Place your plantain strips in the oil and let them cook until the entire strip has softened. Don’t crowd the pan, cook it in batches if need be.

The plantain strips will turn from a pinky yellow to more of a bright yellow, and the edges will likely go a little brown. When it looks ready (quite soft and yellow on top, a bit brown and caramelized underneath), give it a flip and cook the other side until it is browned.

Remove to a plate to cool. If you want, sprinkle it with a bit of sea salt or kosher salt before it fully cools so that the salt sticks.

Good hot, cold, any time.

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Would like to make tostones next…