African, Caribbean, and Central and South American cuisines rely heavily on Boiling Plantains. Make sure you start with green or yellow plantains that are firm to the touch and relatively spotless before boiling them so they don’t become too soft. In a pot of boiling water, slice off the ends and cut each half in half. Plantains will become scrumptiously sweet after being cooked for 15-30 minutes, during which time they will turn a deep yellow color.
Cutting and Peeling the Plantains
1
Choose a few ripe, firm plantains. Plantains should be ripe but still firm to the touch since hot water will soften them up quite a bit. Yellow plantains should have just a little give, and there should be few (if any) brown spots on them. It is recommended that green plantains are harder, uniformly colored, and free of stains.
⦁ It is possible to end up with mushy plantains if you use overripe plantains.
2
Plantains should be sliced off at the ends. Plantains should be laid out on a cutting board and have the stems removed roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the top and bottom. By removing these parts, peeling the plantains will be easier.
⦁ The plantains also cook faster when the stems are removed.
3
Plantains should be cut in half. Plantains should be laid out on a cutting board and sliced through the middle width-wise. In this way, they will be able to fit inside pots more easily, as they will be smaller.
⦁ Keep your knife sharp when cutting plantains, as they can be pretty tough.
4
You can reduce the cooking time of the plantains by peeling them. Cut the plantains in half and score the skin from one end to the other with the tip of your knife. Pull the skin apart on either side of the cut to reveal the fruit underneath. Fruit should be handled gently to prevent damage.
⦁ After you remove the skin from your plantains, they will take less time to boil.
⦁ The skins can also be scored from end to end and peeled once fully cooked if you prefer.
The process of heating water
1
Prepare a large pot of water. If you want to boil many plantains at once, make sure your pot can accommodate them all. Boiling several plantains at once requires a large stockpot, but if you are only cooking 1 or 2 at a time, you may be able to get by with a deep saucepan.
⦁ Once the water comes to a boil, be careful not to overfill the pot.
2
Boil the water. Heat the water on the cooktop to high heat. The water should reach a boil within 6-10 minutes, depending on the size and volume of your pot.
⦁ While you slice and peel the plantains, you can save a few minutes by turning on the water.
3
Salt the water with a pinch. Salt can be added to boiling water if you like. The starchy sweetness of the plantains will be balanced by a hint of salt.
⦁ Start with about 1 teaspoon (4.2 grams) of salt if you’re unsure. The flavor can always be improved by adding more once the plantains have finished cooking.
⦁ The plantains may become unappetizing if too much salt is added.
Plantains cooked
1
Plantains should be boiled for 15-30 minutes. Plantains become sweeter as the heat from the water breaks down their rich sugars. During the first 15-20 minutes, you should see the fruit turn bright yellow and become tender.
⦁ Watch the plantains’ boiling time with a timer.
⦁ Toward the end of your cook time, if the fruit still has white spots, it’s not quite done. Continue cooking the plantains for a further 5-6 minutes, or until they are uniformly yellow.
⦁ You may need to cook green plantains for up to 30 minutes.
2
Plantains should be removed from the hot water using a pair of tongs. Fish out the plantains with a separate utensil since they will be extremely hot. Use a knife or metal spatula or serving fork if you don’t have tongs, or spear them with a knife if you don’t have tongs.
⦁ The plantains can be transferred straight to their intended serving dish after being placed on a layer of paper towels to absorb some of the excess water.
⦁ It is never a good idea to remove cooked items from boiling water by hand. Burns could result from doing so!
3
Let the plantains cool for 2-3 minutes before serving. It will take about 15 minutes for most of the steam to dissipate, at which point you can eat the plantains. Ideally, they should be warm, but not scalding.
⦁ You could burn your mouth if you dig in too soon after the plantains have cooled down.
4
The plantains should be peeled if they were boiled with their skins on. You can safely remove the peel with a fork and knife without burning your hands. Throw away the skins once you’re done!
⦁ It is always a good idea to peel plantains before eating them.
5
You can savor the soft texture of boiled plantains by mashing them. A fork’s flat side can be used to mash your plantains to a smooth, creamy consistency as an optional final step. Make sure the purée is mostly lump-free by mashing and stirring it. There are many ways to enjoy this fruit, and this is just one of them.
⦁ There’s nothing more popular than mashed boiled plantains for breakfast in the Dominican Republic, where they’re known as mang.
⦁ For a savory take on a sweet treat, traditional versions of mang* also incorporate olive oil and onion powder. You will need about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of oil and 11.2 tablespoons (7.4 g) of onion powder for every 2 plantains.