Today we are going to be making Platanos Maduros Fritos, also known as sweet fried plantains.

To start, we will need ripe plantains, vegetable oil, and salt You might be wondering, can you use bananas if you can’t find plantains? You can, but it will be different. These two look very similar, but the big difference is that plantains are rarely eaten raw because they are very starchy. Plantains can be cooked in many ways, but for this recipe we want them to be super ripe. the darker they are, the more sugar they have so they will be deliciously sweet. So first we are going to cut the ends off Then, very carefully use a sharp knife to make a slit all the way down the peel Some of the peels may come off easily but if they are tricky and feeling stuck, move your thumb up and down the inside to loosen the peel as you remove it Now we are going to cut them into pieces about the length of your thumb. Try to cut all the pieces around the same size. Also, try to cut them diagonally so there is more flat surface area for cooking Next, add oil to your pan for frying, we want the plantains to be submerged halfway in oil. A little trick to know when your oil is ready, get your hand wet with some water and throw it into the pan. If the oil bubbles and spits, it’s ready to go. Make sure your face is not near the pan if you do this! Add your plantains to the pan and let them cook for about 5-7 minutes on the first side until they become caramelized. Turn your heat to medium-high. If the heat is too high, they’ll get too dark on the outside before they have a chance to cook. Then flip them and cook for another 3-5minutes on the other side. I move them around as they need to be flipped so they are crispy and cooked on all sides. They will become dark but don’t worry they aren’t burnt, it’s just their sugar caramelizing. The ends may become crispy and dark and that is my favorite part! Once they are done, remove them and top them with salt if you’d like to I also love to add cilantro because it adds some freshness and color These can be served with rice, beans, stews, fish, or by themselves! Thanks for cooking Platanos Maduros Fritos with me today Kike, see you next time! Ciao