What Does Plantain Taste Like? The Best Way To Eat Plantain
Plantain, or can be referred to as cooking banana, is generally used for cooking. They are also called green bananas or plantains. The banana can be eaten ripe or unripe and is starchy. Plantains are a major food in West and Central Africa, Caribbean Islands, Northern, Central, Coastal parts of South America. The plant is indigenous to tropical regions of Oceania and Southeast Asia.
What Does Plantain Taste Like? The Best Way To Eat Plantain
The Taste Of Plantain
Plantain contains more starch and less sugar compared to dessert bananas and is usually cooked or process before eaten.
Ripe plantain or plantains with yellow to blackened skins are very sweet like caramelized sugar. Ripe plantains are usually eaten like a normal banana but the texture is firmer and not as mushy when compared.
When green or unripe, they taste like potatoes, starchy and little to none flavour. At this stage, plantain is hard and can be difficult to peel. It will need a knife to be cut and removed.
It is recommended to boil or fried plantains. One recipe of fried plantain is called tostones which are twice-fried plantains. They are cut into thin slices and fried to achieve caramelized and crispy plantain chips.
In general, Plantains can be from starchy to sweet depending on the ripeness of the fruit. The best way to eat plantains is to fry or boil them. Unripe bananas can be difficult to peel and requires a knife.
Another fruit that its taste depends on the ripeness is mango, go to What Does Mango Taste Like to inform yourself about the king of fruit.
What Is A Plantain?
Plantains are a member of the banana family which are starchy and low in sugar. It is usually cooked before serving. It is not recommended to be eaten raw.
They are native to India and are indigenous in tropical climates like Southeast Asia. Plantains look like green bananas but ripe plantains are black in colour. The moisture content of plantain is lower compared to a banana. The skins of Plantains are much thicker and longer, too. They also have natural brown spots and rough areas.
Plantain grows best in areas with constant warm temperatures and protection against strong winds. They are usually sold in the supermarket year around.
Eggplants are sold year round too, go to the nearest market and get you some of these meat substitute and don't forget to click What Does Eggplant Taste Like.
Plantain Vs. Banana
Plantains | Bananas | |
|---|---|---|
Taste | Starchy | Sweet |
Skin | Thick | Thin |
Colour | Green, Yellow or Black | Green when unripe Yellow when ripe |
Size | Long | Short |
Sugar Level | Low | High |
The Key Differences Between Plantains And Bananas.
- Plantains are starchier compared to a Banana which is soft and sweet.
- The skin of the Bananas is easily pealed and requires little effort. On the other hand, Plantains skin is hard and needs the assistance of the knife in order to be pealed and eaten.
- When ripe the colour of Plantains is yellow to black, while Bananas turn to yellow. Both are green in colour when it is still unripe.
- Due to its starchiness, the Plantain is very low on sugar while the Bananas are sugar rich.
- Bananas are eaten raw, while Plantains are boiled or fried when eaten.
Rip Or Unripe?
The sweetest plantains are the ones with most black and little yellow. They are slightly firm to the touch. Black plantains are still good to eat, but they can be too soft making them difficult to prepare.
When purchasing plantains on supermarket, it is best to purchase the green ones. Let it ripen for a few days or weeks.
We suggest you buying green ones papaya and wait for them to be ripe too. Also don't be lazy to click What Does Papaya Taste Like.
How To Peel A Plantain
- Step 1: Cut of both ends of the plantain using a knife.
- Step 2: Slice down the peel downwards. Only slice the peel and not the fruit.
- Step 3: Pull the peel off in once piece. It should be easy to peel off.
- Step 4: Discard the plantains peelings.
How To Make Fried Plantains
Things You Will Need:
- Plantains
- Paper towels
- Knife
- Spices
- Cooking oil
- Cooking pan
- Spatula
Steps:
- Step 1: Slice the plantains into ¼ inch thick or the slicing of your choice.
- Step 2: Pour oil over the pan and heat the pan.
- Step 3: Put the sliced plantains in the fryer and fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Flip the sliced plantains when one side is already crispy and medium brown.
- Step 5: Place 2 to 3 paper towels on a plate.
- Step 6: Transfer the fried plantains in the plate.
Plantain Facts
It contains adequate level of minerals, like iron, magnesium and phosphorous. 100 grams of Plantain contains 499mg of potassium. It is an important component that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
Plantains have more calories weight compared to table bananas. It has about 122 calories compared to 89 calories in table bananas. They are a great source of starch and energy.
Gooseberrries are good for your health too, go learn about this fruit at What Do Gooseberries Taste Like.
In Conclusion
Plantains are starchy and less sweet compared to a banana. There are several differences between the two. Plantains are yellow to black in colour when ripe. Ripe plantains are sweet. There are multiple ways of cooking plantains. One way is to fry them. It is not advisable to eat plantains raw because they are firm and can be difficult to chew.
About the Author Emily Taylor
My name is Emily Taylor, gardening is my passion and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone. I know that there are millions of people out there want their backyard and garden be attractive just like their front yard, so I am here to help you create your own backyard paradise.