Variety of raw plantain fries

Plantain fried chips

Raw plantain is used to make curry, mashed to make fried balls, mixed with other vegetables to give better taste, boiled and stir fried and it can also be fried. It can be fried in many ways. Today I will show my ways of frying plantain.

Plantains

  

                                         Recipe summary
                                                   For
                                Variety of raw plantain fries
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Plantains

1. Peel 2 raw plantains with a peeler using gloves to the hand as it will stain your palm and fingers. Immerse the pieces as you cut in salted water to prevent discolouration.

2. Cut Plantains sideways like round chips fry them crisp. This can be eaten as a snack.

3. Mix ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
Let it marinate for at least fifteen minutes.

Plantain fried chips

4. Heat the ½ cup vegetable oil in a medium sized frying pan or wok. When the oil gets hot reduce the heat to medium and add the plantain pieces and fry till the plantain pieces become slightly darkish brown. 
Fried plantain pieces will be crispy.

5. Second method is to peel and cut the plantains  ( (see how to do) into ½  inch cubes and marinate as shown .above using the same ingredients and 1 teaspoon chili powder.

Deep fried plantains

 Put all the cut pieces into one batch.
 Use low heat and stir frequently to fry all the pieces uniformly, as the plantain pieces will not be fully covered with oil.
This will take a little longer time – 15 minutes.



6. The third method is to make the fries soft and juicier but not crispy. Use sesame oil or olive oil for this method of shallow frying. This is very tasty. Cut the plantains into 1½ inches long.and marinate the same way we did earlier. 

Shallow and soft  
 fried in sesame oil

This is the fry I like best.






7. You can also cut the plantain lengthwise like French fries. You can fry the crispy or soft and juicy.

Plantain Fried like  
French Fries

Fried plantain can be served with rice or as an accompaniment to any other dish.

Variety of raw plantain fries is ready.
                                  

                   Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

                                  
                                      
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Main
2 plantains
Others
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
3 table spoon sesame oil for shallow frying
Spices
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

Preparation
Peel the plantain with a peeler using gloves to the hand as it will stain your palm and fingers.

Plantains peeled

Method
Plantains is cut sideways like round chips fry them crisp. This can be eaten as a snack.

Plantains cut for chips

Raw plantains discolour when exposed to the atmosphere due to oxidation. To prevent this immerse the pieces as you cut in salted water.

Cut pieces immersed in salt water

When you finish cutting strain and dry the pieces.
Mix pepper, turmeric and cumin powders and salt with the plantain pieces.
Let it marinate for at least fifteen minutes.

Plantain chips frying in a small wok

Heat the oil in a medium sized frying pan or wok. When the oil gets hot reduce the heat to medium and add the plantain pieces and fry till the plantain pieces become slightly darkish brown. This will take about 10 minutes.
I deep fried in sunflower oil. You can use any vegetable oil of your choice. You can reduce the amount of oil if you fry in two or three batches.
Fried plantain pieces will be crispy.

Second method is to peel and cut the plantains  ( see how to do) into 1/2  inch cubes pieces and marinate as shown .above using the same ingredients and 1 teaspoon chili powder.

Plantain pieces for crisp frying in marinating

 Put all the cut pieces into one batch.
 Use low heat and stir frequently to fry all the pieces uniformly, as the plantain pieces will not be fully covered with oil.
This will take a little longer time – 15 minutes.

Crispy fried plantains

You can also deep fry the plantain where you use more oil to cover the plantain pieces. This is fast frying.

Deep fried plantains

You can skip the chili powder if you want to take it as a snack or don’t want the fries to be spicy.


The third method is to make the fries soft and juicier but not crispy. Use sesame oil or olive oil for this method of shallow frying. This is very tasty. Cut the plantains into 1½ inches long.and marinate the same way we did earlier. This is the fry I like best.

Plantains cut for shallow and soft frying

Shallow and soft  plantains fried in sesame oil

The cut pieces of plantain can also be baked instead of frying. You need oil only to grease the baking tray or baking sheet. Fried plantain will taste better than baked pieces. But baked plantain is healthier and less fattening.

You can also cut the plantain lengthwise like French fries. You can fry the crispy or soft and juicy.

Plantains fried like French fries

Fried plantain can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for a longer period. All you need to reheat it is to microwave it.

Fried plantain can be served with rice or as an accompaniment to any other dish.