Fried plantain is a dish cooked wherever plantains grow, from
West Africa to East Africa
as well as Central and South America and the Caribbean countries like Haiti to Cuba and in many parts of Southeast Asia, where fried snacks are widely popular. In Indonesia it is called gorengan.
Is plantain Caribbean or African?
Plantains are indigenous to the
tropical
regions of Southeast Asia. They made their way along trade routes to Africa and then were brought to the Caribbean by the Spanish and African slave traders. The plantain eventually became a staple ingredient in the Caribbean.
What country eats the most plantains?
The countries with the highest levels of plantain per capita consumption in 2018 were
Cameroon
(197 kg per person), Ghana (141 kg per person) and Uganda (68 kg per person).
Do Hispanics eat plantains?
Most commonly used in the coastal areas, plantains appear
on menus throughout the republic
, including restaurant meccas Mexico City and Guadalajara, in courses from appetizers to desserts, used in various stages of ripeness. They are fried, steamed, grilled, baked, mashed, and made into dough.
Is plantain an African food?
Plantain is
a major food staple in Africa
, and West Africa is one of the major plantain-producing regions of the world, accounting for approximately 32% of worldwide production. … They are used as a vegetable in most recipes in Africa, and not eaten as a fruit, although technically, they are a fruit.
What are the benefits of eating plantains?
Plantains are a carb-rich food and a
good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals
. They also contain antioxidants that fight free radicals. With good levels of vitamin C, they can also support immune function. Likewise, their vitamin B6 content may reduce cardiovascular risk and improve mood.
Why are plantains so cheap?
Exposed to agro-chemicals and intense heat, plantation workers are usually in the field ten to 12 hours a day, six days a week, and still aren’t paid a living wage—to do so would
increase the price of fruit
that, despite traveling thousands of miles to the US, continues to be sold more cheaply than locally grown apples …
Do Peruvians eat plantains?
Plantain (or ‘plátano’ in Spanish) is
popular in Peruvian food
, and across Latin America in general. It’s a typical side dish in the traditional Latin American meal: white rice, beef or chicken, and beans. … For us vegetarians, fried or baked plantains were a great substitute to meat.
Is a macho banana a plantain?
The plantain is a
good deal bigger than most bananas
– in some languages it’s called the “macho banana” – but as with its sweeter cousin, a lot can be read from the colour of its skin.
Are plantains bananas?
The term “plantain” refers to
a type of banana
with a very different flavor profile and culinary application than the sweet, yellow banana with which most people are familiar. Plantains are usually larger and tougher than bananas, with much thicker skin. … They may be green, yellow or very dark brown.
Are tostones Hispanic?
Tostones (Spanish pronunciation: [tosˈtones], from the Spanish verb tostar which means “to toast”) are
twice-fried plantain slices
commonly found in Latin American cuisine and Caribbean cuisine.
What to pair with plantains?
Green plantains pair well with assertive flavors like
chile, onion, and curry
, as well as with fatty meats like pork. Partially ripened yellow plantains can be boiled or fried, then mashed to a doughy consistency to make dumplings or African fufu, a porridge-like dish.
What is Ghana fufu?
In Ghana, fufu, also known as fufuo, is
white and sticky
(if plantain is not mixed with the cassava when pounding). … In Ghana, it is made out of pieces boiled cassava and/ior other tupers such as plantains or cocoyams, pounded together in a giant wooden mortar (waduro) using a wooden pestle (woma).
What are fried plantains called?
Tostones (also known as Patacones)
are slices of unripe, green plantains that have been fried, smashed, and fried again until crisp.
