Hi Everyone, There is very little if anything that needs to be done to fried sweet ripe plantains. However, over the years, little additions have impacted the complex caramelized flavour of the plantains once cooked. Such additions have been light dustings of ground cinnamon, sprinklings of sea salt and light mists of fresh lemon juice. Of course they have been wrapped around things such as sausages. If you’ve never tried fried plantains in any of the ways I’ve just mentioned, please do and add one more – stuffed with sweetened coconut.
The Huffington Post was assembling recipes featuring ripe plantains for one of its online events and invited me to share my bacon-wrapped ripe plantains recipe with them. One of the most thrilling things about events that showcase a single ingredient is that you get to see how people from around the world use this one ingredient in so many ways, drawing on the strengths of their particular cuisine. When you see the variations in which the ingredient is used and hear the stories behind the food, the notions of authenticity plague you. What is yours? What is mine? What is ours?
You already know that coconuts, cassava and plantains, are ingredients that move me. Therefore, when I saw a recipe for stuffed plantains from a fellow contributor of the blog: A Bit Of This and A Bit of That, it goes without saying that I had to try it, all in the interest of sharing it with you of course.
I adapted the recipe to suit my taste (as I generally do with most recipes and something I always advise people to do). Instead of frying the plantains with ghee, I used oil. Instead of flavouring the coconut with cardamom, I used cinnamon. Instead of adding cashew nuts, I used almonds and I left out the raisins altogether.
Photos by Cynthia Nelson
I fried, I stuffed, I rolled, sampled a couple, and then shared the lot with my neighbour. Early the following morning she brought back the container and said, “If I don’t bring back the container I won’t get anymore. And notice how early I am bringing back the container.” Enough said.
Plantain-Coconut Rolls
(Heavily adapted from A Bit of This and A Bit Of That)
INGREDIENTS
● 1 cup finely grated, fresh coconut
● 3 tablespoons sugar
● 1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
● ½ teaspoon almond essence
● ¼ cup finely chopped nuts (preferably unsalted)
● 3 large very ripe plantains
● Oil
● Toothpicks
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix together well – the coconut, sugar, cinnamon, essence and nuts. Set aside for at least 30 minutes so that the coconut can absorb the sugar, spice and essence. You will notice that the mixture changes colour – it gets moist and a little darker.
2. Peel the plantains and cut in half cross way – the three plantains should give you 6 halves. Now take each half and slice thinly, lengthways.
3. Lightly drizzle oil into a skillet and place on medium heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the plantains in batches, frying until lightly caramelized and cooked on both sides. Repeat this process, adding a little oil for each batch and cooking the plantains.
4. To stuff and roll the plantains – take one piece of the fried plantain and top with coconut mixture along the length of the plantain. Roll the plantain with the coconut, gently, from one end to the other and secure with a toothpick. Transfer to a plate or platter and repeat until all the plantains are topped with coconut, rolled and secured with a toothpick.
5. Serve as a side dish, appetizer or snack.
NOTE
● Use whatever nuts you prefer or have on hand.
Cynthia
