Jamaican Plantain

A Unique Taste

Jamaican Plantain

The Jamaican Plantain is closely related to the banana but the fruit of the plantain is often larger than the banana.

The Plantain also bears  a  smaller number of fingers per plant than the banana.

Jamaican Plantains

Plantain is not as readily available as green bananas but is a favourite food of many Jamaicans.   Similar to the banana, green plantains are prepared for the table in Jamaica by boiling or deep frying.  

Jamaican Plantains

My favourite is the ripe plantain which can be fried and served as part of a meal or just to make a quick sandwich.  Plantains take a longer time to ripen than bananas – although they look just as yellow, they are not as ready to eat in the same way as a ripe banana.  

If you bite into a not so ripe plantain, you will get the gist but a well ripened plantain can be eaten as it is – no frying needed.

Preparing Fried Ripe Plantain

Fried Plantain

Preparing the ripe plantain for your table is pretty easy.  Here is how I do it:

• Peel ripe plantain and cut in half

•  Cut each half in 3 to 4 slices 

• Add 2oz of coconut oil in pan on medium heat (Oil of your choice is fine too)

• Heat oil for a couple of minutes 
• Place slices in hot oil and fry lightly on each side for a few minutes until cooked.

Fried plantain on toast

Reduce heat if necessary as they burn easily.  Remove from pan when cooked and place on tissue paper  to soak up any excess oil before serving. 

The taste is a distinctive sweetish flavour which is simply irrestible.

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