Almost Fried Plantains - Virtually Fat Free

"This is more a technique than a recipe per se. However, if you love the taste of fried sweet plantains but don't want all the fat, this is the way to go. For those less familiar with plantains, they would best be described as a cooking banana. These pair well with almost and Caribbean entree. For the best results, make sure you have a really ripe plantain one that is all yellow with a good number of brown spots. Though I have portioned this as a half plantain per serving, one could easily eat a whole one alone."
 
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photo by ColoradoCooking photo by ColoradoCooking
photo by ColoradoCooking
photo by Sarah_Jayne photo by Sarah_Jayne
photo by Ang11002 photo by Ang11002
photo by justcallmetoni photo by justcallmetoni
photo by justcallmetoni photo by justcallmetoni
Ready In:
7mins
Ingredients:
3
Serves:
2
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ingredients

  • 1 ripe plantain, look for one with lots of brown spots
  • 14 - 13 cup water
  • cooking spray
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directions

  • Peel plantain and slice 1/4 inch thick on a slight diagonal. This will give you oblong slices that are easy to handle while cooking.
  • Using medium-high heat, pre-heat a non stick skillet.
  • Place plantains in a single layer in the pan. Add water just until it covers the bottom half of the plantains.
  • Reduce heat a small amount and cook 2 or 3 minutes until the water evaporates. Your plantains should begin to have a softer texture and more translucent quality.
  • Lightly spray the tops of the plaintains with cooking spray and turn over. Cook an additional minute or so until you get a lovely, slightly crispy brown exterior on the plantains.
  • Give the tops another quick spray of oil and turn over again. Cook the first side a minute or so until it too has browned a bit.
  • Stop eating the plantains while you're cooking. :-).
  • Serve.

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Reviews

  1. I have made this recipe even skipping the step of spraying the tops with cooking spray, which I don't really like. It worked fine in a heavy non-stick pan, even with very, very ripe platanos. Thanks for the awesome technique. My Cuban husband heartily approves!
     
  2. I do them in the air fryer. They turn out perfect. Use very ripe plantains, brush with avocado oil (use anything you like). Air fry at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes, then flip and go another 6 minutes.
     
    • Review photo by ColoradoCooking
  3. This is a great recipe that I’ve used twice. I brushed the plantains lightly with avocado oil rather than using cooking spray. After the water evaporated and I brushed on the oil, I browned the plantains at slightly over medium heat (gas).
     
  4. Sorry, but this did not tickle my taste buds. I just can't acquire a taste for ripe plantains. So, as much as I love plantains, I shall continue to twice fry the hard ones, which is the way a Cuban taught me. Yum!
     
  5. mmmmmmm. they were so yummy and a great healthy alternative to frying in oil.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>I come from a long line of wonderful cooks and doing my best to hold up that tradition. My great-grandparents owned a coffee shop; my Nana was also a great cook and started the tradition of baking around the holidays, both cookies and fruitcakes. After she died, now a decade ago, our family decided to continue in her honor. The picture above is my mother's (Chef Hot Pans) dining room table just before we packed up our Christmas cookie trays. More that 20 kinds of cookies, many of which are from 'Zaar recipes. <br /> <br />I myself am an amateur cook with a penchant for ethnic foods and spice. Currently reforming my menu in favor of healthy dishes lower in fat with lots of grains and vegetables. My favorite cuisines are Mexican, Southwestern and North African. <br /> <br /> <br />Some of my favorite public cookbooks include:</p> <li>ladypit's <a href=http://www.recipezaar.com/mycookbook/book/33588> WW Core Recipes I Have Tried </a> </li> <p>&nbsp;</p> <li>shirl(j)831's <a href=http://www.recipezaar.com/mycookbook/book/34888> Can this really be lowfat??? </a> </li> <p>&nbsp;</p> <li>julesong's <a href=http://www.recipezaar.com/mycookbook/book/30566> Cooking Light Recipes </a> </li> <p>&nbsp;</p> <li>mariposa13's <a href=http://www.recipezaar.com/mycookbook/book/44690> WW &amp; Lowfat Recipes </a> </li> <p><br /><img src=http://members.aol.com/sdnt4life/dpg.gif alt=Dirty /> <br /><a href=http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/tgifford/Game%20Room%20Banners/AM%20Banners/?action=view&amp;current=kitchen-special-hot2-1.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/tgifford/Game%20Room%20Banners/AM%20Banners/kitchen-special-hot2-1.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /></a> <br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/Animation1.gif alt=Image /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/4treasurehunt.gif alt=FFF#2 width=50% /> <br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/purplechefhat.gif alt=Image /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/chef3.jpg alt=Image /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/beartag_1_1.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/adopted_1_1.jpg border=0 alt=Adopted /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/200_artistrichardneuman-art-prints_.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/untitled.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/200_PACpic.jpg border=0 alt=PAC /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/pacbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photo /> <br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/World%20Tour/ZaarWorldTourFirst.gif alt=/ /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/World%20Tour/ZWT2.gif alt=/ /> <br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/Zaar%20World%20Tour%203/ZWT3-Participation.gif alt=/ /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/World%20Tour/AnimatedHostChallengeBanner.gif alt=ZWT3 /><img src=http://www.satsleuth.com/cooking/RecipeSwap2.JPG alt=width=50% /> <br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/cookbookswap.jpg alt=/ /></p>
 
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