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Atol de plátano

Warm plantain and milk drink

Atol de plátano: Guatemala's warm, thick ripe plantain and milk drink

In Guatemalan markets, steaming pots of atol are sold from early morning: thick, sweet, drinkable porridges made from corn, rice, oats or, in this case, very ripe plantain blended with milk and cinnamon. Atol de plátano is creamy and fruity, a filling breakfast in a mug. The common mistake is boiling it hard after the milk goes in, which catches and burns on the bottom; keep it at a gentle bubble and stir. Chef's tip: simmer the plantain with the cinnamon in water first, then blend; this cooks the starch fully and gives a silky drink without any raw-banana taste.
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (2)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Simmer 2 very ripe plantains in 2 cups water with 1 cinnamon stick for 12 minutes, until very soft.

    12 min
  2. Step 2: Remove the cinnamon, and blend the plantain and its water with 2 cups whole milk until completely smooth.

  3. Step 3: Return to the pan with the cinnamon, 3 tbsp sugar and 1 pinch salt and simmer gently over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to coat a spoon.

    10 min
  4. Step 4: Stir in ½ tsp vanilla extract, remove the cinnamon and serve hot in mugs.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
230 kcal
Protein
6 g
Carbs
42 g
Fat
5 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does atol de plátano take?
About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
What can I use instead of whole milk?
Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).

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