Haitian
Vegan
Gluten freeBanann peze
Twice-fried green plantain
Bannann peze: Haitian twice-fried green plantain slices, the crunchy side for griot and pikliz
Banann peze, pressed plantain, is the crunchy side that comes with griot and fried fish in every Port-au-Prince restaurant and at Haitian family parties from Cap-Haïtien to Miami. Thick slices of green plantain are fried until just soft, smashed flat, dipped in garlicky salted water and fried again until golden and crackling at the edges. Pile them beside the vinegary cabbage relish pikliz. The usual mistake is frying them hot the first time, which browns the outside before the inside cooks, so the smashed slices crack and stay hard in the centre. They are done when deep golden, crisp at the edges and tender inside. Chef's tip: the quick dip in garlic-lime salt water between fries is the Haitian secret; it seasons them right through and makes them extra crisp.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 230 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 green plantainshard and green
- 2 cups sunflower oil for frying
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut the ends off 2 green plantains, score the skin lengthwise and prise it off. Cut on the diagonal into pieces about 2.5 cm thick.
Step 2: Mix 1 cup warm water, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp lime juice and 1 tsp salt in a bowl.
Step 3: Heat 2 cups sunflower oil for frying in a deep frying pan to 325°F. Fry the plantain for 4–5 minutes, turning, until pale gold and soft enough for a knife to slide in.
5 minStep 4: Drain, then press each piece flat to about 1 cm with the bottom of a glass or a tostonera.
Step 5: Dip each flattened piece in the garlic water for a few seconds and shake off well (careful: wet plantain spits in hot oil).
Step 6: Raise the oil to 350°F and fry again for 2–3 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does banann peze take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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