Whether you’re a newbie or a pro and already know How to Peel a Plantain, I have some tips and tricks to make it easier for you.
Plantains are a staple food in many parts of the world where they grow like Africa, South Asia, the Pacific, the Southern United States, and Latin America.
There are so many delicious meals to make with plantains that is very useful to know How to Peel a Plantain.
Many delicious Puerto Rican food recipes are made with plantains like Puerto Rico’s national dish the soft mofongo.
There are also platanutre chips or crunchy tostones. There is also the sweet plantain lasagña.
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What are plantains?
Not many people know but they are a fruit that is mainly consumed as a vegetable. They’re part of the banana variety genus Musa. They grow in short green palm trees very similar to coconut trees but shorter. They range in colors, from green and hard when savory to yellow and soft when sweet and ripe.
How to Peel A Plantain
A good place to start is to make sure the plantains are at room temperature. It will be harder to peel green when cold.
- Photo 1: With a small pairing knife, cut the ends of the plantains up to where they start getting fatter.
- Photo 2: Cut into the skin lengthwise on opposite sides, deep enough to go through the skin but not into the pulp. Be mindful of the knife and your hands to avoid cutting yourself.
- Photo 3: With the tip of the knife, lift a corner of the skin. Now softly insert your thumb and begin separating the skin through the cut you just made.
- Photo 4: Keep peeling and don’t worry about any small pieces of skin that stay stuck. You can remove those with the knife.
Another Way of Peeling
This method is used by many big commercial factories. It is a useful method because it guarantees an easy peel every time and it avoids staining your hands quickly with the sap of the skin.
- Photo 5: Get a pot big enough to fit your plantains and fill it with water enough to cover the plantains. Set the heat to high and let the water boil. Once boiling add the plantains for 1 minute.
- Photo 6: After the minutes have passed, remove the plantains and let them cool before handling.
- Photo 7: Cut the ends, and cut through the skin lengthwise.
- Photo 8: Carefully lift the corner of the skin and peel the plantain.
How to Peel a Sweet Plantain
- Photo 9: Cut the ends and score lengthwise only on one side. It is best to use a sharp knife to cut skin better.
- Photo 10: Lift a corner of the skin and peel. The whole skin should come off without a problem.
⭐️ Tip: If your plantains are very ripe and soft it is best to put them in the fridge before peeling. This will help it get harder and easier to peel.
How to Cut and Cook Plantains
Plantains can be cut in many ways depending on what you’re making.
- Photo 11: Cut into big circles when making crunchy tostones or cut into bigger circles to fry, smash them into tostones cups, or mash in a trifongo Puerto Rican style. Or if ripe, cut into oval shapes to make fried maduros.
- Photo 12: Cut into thin slices and fry or bake to make platanutre chips.
- Photo 13: Grate into a dough to make grated plantain balls to boil in soups.
- Photo 14: Shred with a box grater to make plantain little spiders.
What recipes to make?
Plantains are super versatile. They can be boiled to eat plain or mashed to make mangú. You can fry or even bake them. You can make anything from sides, snacks, dinner meals, and even desserts.
Frequently asked questions
They are essentially from the same banana family but a different variety. So they are not the same. Bananas are sweet while plantains are starchy and range from savory to sweet.
The difference is that the green ones are firm with hard skin. Savory and cannot be eaten raw. The yellow ones are soft to the touch and have a sweet taste. Essentially the same vegetable is in different stages.
They’re a nutrient-rich food. They can be part of a healthy diet. According to the Web Md website, they’re good for digestive health.
If you live in a tropical or subtropical area, they won’t be hard to come by. If you are in the US most big supermarkets tend to have them but not all the time. Asian and Latin stores will carry them most of the time.
Best store plantains in a dry cool place. But whatever you do, please do not store it in the fridge. Unless they’re super ripe and you will use them in a day or two.
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