Plantains – Everything You Need To Know
Plantains are a popular side dish in Jamaica, commonly served with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The choice between using a green or yellow plantain offers a variety of flavours and textures. Plantain is a versatile ingredient used in a variety of Jamaican recipes. Plantains are easy to prepare and can be found in most Caribbean or Indian supermarkets.
Plantain origin
Plantain is a fruit cultivated and domesticated by people over thousands of years. This fruit, with its origin in Southeast Asia, evolved from native wild banana species in the region. Plantains are now widely grown in many tropical regions, including the Caribbean, Africa, and throughout Central and South America.
Plantain was introduced to Jamaica by Jean Francois Pouyat, a French botanist and chemist who settled in the country around 1820. Now since then, plantain has been one of the main crops to farm throughout Jamaica.
Plantain is the fruit of a giant herb plant, despite its resemblance to a tree. The same is true for the banana plant. Plantain and banana plants look alike, but there are differences. Plantain plants have purple flower clusters, while banana plants have cone-shaped flowers that open up to reveal small flowers. The easiest way to differentiate between the banana and plantain plants is by looking at their fruit.
Plantain vs banana
Plantains and bananas have noticeable differences in taste, texture and size. In comparison to bananas, plantains are longer and firmer with thicker skin. Ripe bananas are often eaten raw, while a ripe plantain is better suited for cooking. A ripe plantain can be eaten raw, but it’s not as tasty as bananas due to its high level of starch. Plantains have a distinct taste different from bananas and despite being starchy, they don’t taste like potatoes.
When plantains and bananas are in their unripe or green state, their texture is firm and starchy, and they are not yet sweet. They both need to be cooked before they are eaten. In Jamaica, green plantain vs. green banana is preferred as a fried snack.
Green plantain vs yellow plantain
Unripe plantains are green and ripen to yellow, then brown, and then black. A yellow, or ripe plantain has a firm yet slightly soft texture, and it gives a little when you squeeze it. Green plantain has a hard, thicker skin that does not give way to pressure. Ripe plantain smells and tastes sweet and fruity, while green plantain smells grassy and green. Green plantains are starchier with a bland taste. Green plantains must be cooked before consumption as they cannot be eaten raw like yellow plantains.
Plantains are usually harvested green and left to ripen on the counter. Depending on the temperature and humidity, fully matured unripe plantains can take 2-7 days to ripen naturally. To ripen green plantains faster, put them in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple. You can also wrap the plantains in newspaper to trap the ethylene gas they naturally produce as they ripen.
So if you’re new to buying plantains and you’re not sure which ones to choose, the decision between green and yellow ones depends entirely on your taste preferences and how you plan to use them. So go ahead and pick the ones that are best suited to your needs!
Green plantains not turning yellow
Not all green plantains turn yellow when they are ripe. For instance, the horn plantain is a variety that stays green even when fully ripe. However, there are several reasons why a plantain that changes colour may not turn yellow. One is that they were picked too early. Another reason could be that they were not exposed to enough ethylene gas, a natural hormone that triggers ripening. Additionally, if stored in a cold or humid place, the ripening process will be slow.
How are plantains eaten
The stage of ripeness determines how plantains are cooked or prepared. In Jamaica, plantain is usually boiled, fried, roasted, and baked in its natural form. Typically, the peel is removed from plantains before cooking, as only the flesh and seeds are edible. However, when boiling ripe plantain, it’s possible for the peel to be removed after the plantain is cooked. This is how to boil plantain Jamaican-style. Ripe boiled plantain is a traditional Jamaican food that takes 15-30 minutes to cook, depending on size and ripeness.
Fried ripe plantain is the preferred way to eat plantains among Jamaicans, as it is soft and sweet. When green plantain is fried, they are crispy, often salted and pressed out. Jamaicans commonly refer to this dish as “pressed green plantain”.
Plantain benefits
Plantains contain a significant amount of fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Due to their high fibre content, antioxidants, potassium, and vitamin B6, plantain offer numerous health benefits. Regular consumption of plantains can aid digestion, help manage weight, and promote heart health. Additionally, they can help regulate bowel movements, lower cholesterol levels, boost the immune system, maintain fluid balance, and support metabolic processes.
Plantain recipes to try
Some popular Jamaica plantain recipes include
Don’t miss out on exploring all the amazing ways to incorporate plantains into your meals.
