Tajadas de Plátano Maduro (Fried Ripe Plantain Slices)
Ripe plantain cut into long diagonal slices and fried two minutes a side. Two ingredients, ten minutes, and the ripeness of the plantain decides everything.
Servings: 4
Calories: 357kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ripe plantains peeled, skins mostly black
- Enough oil for frying
Instructions
- Slice the plantains lengthways on the diagonal, as thick or thin as you like. Long slices are what makes them tajadas; cut across into rounds they are something else.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat before the slices go in.
- Add the slices without crowding the pan and fry them for two minutes a side, until golden.
- Lift them out onto paper towels to drain.
- Serve them hot.
Notes
The plantain has to be properly ripe: skin mostly black, flesh soft enough to give under a thumb. That is when the starch has turned to sugar, and it is the whole difference between tajadas that caramelise at the edges and go sweet, and slices that stay starchy and leathery. A yellow plantain is not ready no matter how long you fry it. Long diagonal slices are what tajadas means. Cut across into rounds they fry differently and are usually called something else. Thicker slices stay soft in the middle; thin ones crisp all the way through and are closer to a chip. Do not crowd the pan. Plantain slices release moisture and a crowded skillet drops in temperature, so instead of frying they steam and go soggy. Two batches take four minutes rather than two and the difference is obvious. They are eaten alongside almost anything: beans, rice, grilled meat, or as part of a bandeja paisa.
Nutrition
Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1009IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg