West African One-Pot Beans and Plantains | Recipes from a Pantry (2024)

FAQs

Is it good to cook beans with plantain? ›

Experts refer to the combination of beans and ripe plantain as 'Delicious Poison. ' Acid-forming foods can contribute to heart problems, ulcers, and gastrointestinal reflux, among other diseases. It's important to note that cooking beans with unripe plantains is considered a perfect combination that aids digestion.

So garlic tostones are basically fried plantains that have been pre-soaked in a garlic water to give them extra flavor. Imagine TJs potato oles but 100 times better.

The long and tortuous history of plantain can be traced to as early as 500 B.C. It is of South East Asian origin, mostly in Malaysia and the now Indonesia. This now popular African food item was introduced into India by traders. .

Soaking plantains isn't a necessary step, but many recipes call for it anyway. This takes time, and it's only really a benefit to your dish if the plantains are being fried or grilled. Fried plantains get crunchier on the outside and more tender on the inside if they are soaked in salt water beforehand.

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.

Raw green plantains are starchy fruits that are low in sugar and have a low glycemic index (GI), which means they cause a slower and lower rise in blood sugar levels compared to high-GI foods. For people with diabetes, consuming foods with a lower GI can help better manage blood sugar levels.

Healthiest Plantain Preparation

Plantains can be eaten raw or cooked but are usually enjoyed cooked in some way. Plantains can be baked, fried, boiled, or grilled. Ripe plantains can be peeled and eaten like a banana, but even ripe plantains are usually best enjoyed cooked.

In the Congo river region, plantain bananas—peeled, sliced, and boiled, or cut into rondelles and fried in oil—are called makemba (singular: likemba).

Fried plantain may be served as a snack, a starter or as a side dish to the main course, such as with Jollof rice, spicy barbecued meat, tomato stew or beans. It is made in different ways: salted or unsalted, cut into "ears", "fingers", can be diced, or fried whole.

Can you eat plantains raw? ›

Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter.

Boiled plantain tastes really good when mashed with milk and butter. Adding wasabi sauce makes a zesty combination and this, plus some gravy, goes well with sausages of all kinds. Mashing takes a little more effort than potato, so I use an augur-style crushing juicer (they are used to make pasta).

“Carbohydrates should be 50-60 per cent of the daily intake for people with diabetes. They should eat food like Garri, yam flour, beans, local unpolished rice, and oats, among others. “There are very few benefits of eating unripe plantain, as there are several other meals that can be taken,” he noted.