Q&A for How to Cook Plantains

Only if ripe (black skin). Try a little bit first to ensure your stomach can handle it.

Put them in a bag with a ripe or overripe vegetable or fruit or in a warm, humid spot. Don't put the plantains in the refrigerator to ripen them.

Plantains can be boiled. What you do is leave them in the skin and cut the whole plantain into thirds or quarters, depending on how big you want them. Then you put them in the water and boil them. They turn out soft and can be served with a stew, or you could fry the boiled plantains.

Not usually suggested; they are harder and starchier than a banana. You may be able to eat a very ripe plantain, but try a little before consuming the entire thing to see if your stomach can handle it.

That is not advisable as plantain, often called the "vegetable" banana, isn't that sweet by itself and is typically firmer and starchier, which can result in a not-so-soft and moist cake. Use real bananas!

Slice into slices, then fry them in butter or canola oil. Sprinkle on cinnamon and brown sugar.

Yes; I won a cook contest for my healthy recipe. I put coconut oil and finely chopped garlic in a black iron skillet with slices of plantains,sauteéing until brown. I then made a big bowl full of steaming quinoa, then added a layer of dark green, steamed kale, then the sauteéd plantains. The key to success was pouring a thick, delicious, sweet and salty sauce all over the top: made of water, miso and cashew cream warmed in a pan first, and then adding a tiny drizzle of maple syrup.

Yes, you may just need to season it a little bit more than you would with a ripe plantain.

No, but you can make great snacks with an overly ripe (soft) plantain too! For example, you could mash it up and mix it with flour, sugar, and a little bit of milk. Then, heat some oil in a pan and use a tablespoon to add portions of the plaintain mix to the pan. Fry the portions for approximately 5 minutes and then eat them like pancakes!

Of course! They are versatile like potatoes. I think they will fit right in to this hash!

If you serve them the next day, you can just put them in the fridge overnight and reheat them when needed.