Plantain - Banana-da Terra

The plantain is a first cousin of the common banana. Unlike its cousin though, it cannot be eaten raw. It is larger and starchier than a banana and very versatile: It can be mashed, fried, baked or braised. It’s easy to find plantains year-round at most supermarkets, especially Latin and Asian specialty stores. You can always buy them online at retailers like Melissa’s (www.melissas.com). Plantains can be used at every stage of ripeness for diverse results. When the peel is green, the flesh is very firm and starchy, almost like a potato. When the peel is semiripe, it looks yellow with lots of black specks, and the fruit is sweeter and still starchy. When the peel is black and shrivelled, the fruit is softer, less starchy and at its sweetest.