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Fried ripe plantain

Sweet, caramelised slices of very ripe plantain, fried in a little oil

Fried ripe plantain is on almost every Jamaican plate, from breakfast with ackee and callaloo to Sunday dinner beside rice and peas. When plantains are fully ripe their starch turns to sugar, so the slices fry up soft and custardy inside with dark, sticky, caramelised edges, sweet with a little salt. Chef's tip: wait until the skin is mostly black. A yellow plantain fries up firm and starchy; a black one gives that melting, toffee-sweet result, and medium heat lets the sugars caramelise without burning.
Total time
15 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Cut the ends off 2 very ripe plantains, slit the skin along its length and peel it away. Cut the plantains on a long diagonal into slices about 1 cm thick.

  2. Step 2: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat until it shimmers. Add the slices in one layer, leaving space between them.

  3. Step 3: Fry for 2–3 minutes until the undersides are deep golden to dark caramel brown, then turn and fry the other side for 2 minutes. Keep the heat at medium: the sugar burns quickly at high heat.

    5 min
  4. Step 4: Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with 1 pinch salt and serve hot.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
210 kcal
Protein
1 g
Carbs
32 g
Fat
10 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does fried ripe plantain take?
About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 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.

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