First things first: Decide if you need unripe or ripe plantains. If you want them to be sticky and caramelized when cooked—like maduros, which are sweet, ripe plantains fried in oil—you’ll need to buy ...

For centuries, plantains have been used as a staple food in tropical and subtropical regions from West Africa to Latin America. Their versatility lies in the fact that they can be eaten at any stage ...

Google is not your friend when searching for "authentic" plantain recipes and reliable information. But your retired Spanish-teacher mom and Colombian exchange sister definitely rank at the top of the ...

When you conjure up images of bananas and plantains in your mind's eye — or even have a look at a pair of photos, for that matter — they are clearly quite similar. Both are elongated fruits, often ...

It may resemble a banana, but you’re probably not going to want to gnaw on one raw. Though closely related to bananas, plantains (often called cooking bananas) more often are treated like a vegetable, ...

Starches — legumes, tubers, grains, to name a few — strike a delicate balance between firm and plump and, well, dried-out or mealy when cooked. One starch, though, is sturdy enough to withstand a ...

Plantain is a magnificent tropical fruit and a staple ingredient in West African cuisine. It’s often associated with the banana, the main difference being it contains more starch and fewer sugars.