Homemade Crispy Seasoned Plantain Fries

Plantain fries – Treat yourself with theses perfectly crispy, delicious and easy to make plantain fries. The light spice in these fries allows you to savor the subtle taste of the plantain.  Try these fries in place of potato fries, you will like it.

Plantain fries

Plantain fries are wonderful and they are so easy to make. They taste almost like french fries, but you will definitely know that they are not.  The first time I tried this, I was pleasantly surprised I how much I enjoyed them in comparison to potato fries.

Plantain is a staple in my home. I use it for making a variety of recipes from baking to chips to pancakes and much more.  However, the last time I made these fries, they were gone in a flash. The kids gobbled them up. Actually, it was like a competition between Mr. O, myself and the kids. I’m not sure who liked them most – the kids or the adults!

If you’ve never thought of making plantain fries then you need to try making them at least once in a while if you can resist the temptation of getting addicted. I said this because the staunchest french fries lover in my house had a change of heart once he had a bite of one of these plantain fries.

What is plantain

I could devote an entire book on the incredibly versatile plantain. Plantains are a vital component of the West African diet. We eat them as main course. breakfast, snack and much more.

Essentially, plantain is a staple in most West African countries. I must say that plantain is different from banana. Of course, they are related but are not the same. Plantains are much larger and thicker than bananas. You can read more about my post on plantains here.

How to make plantain fries

Deep-fried plantain fries – If you choose to go all out to enjoy your fries. Here is a good way to enjoy the fries in all it’s glory.

• Preheat enough oil for deep frying in a frying pan
• Peel the plantains cut them into sticks like fries and season them 
• Fry the plantains until golden and crisp on edges.
• Remove from oil and drain on a paper-lined sieve or bowl.
• Serve immediately

Oven-baked plantain fries –  If you are not a fan of deep-frying, then you will enjoy this lighter option. 

• Preheat the oven to 425°F
• Peel the plantains cut them into sticks like fries and season them 
• Spread them out on a baking tray.
• Bake for 20 minutes turning halfway between.
• Remove from oven and serve immediately

What type of plantain should I use for my fries

Plantains come in both the green (unripe) state and Yellow (ripe) state. However, this particular recipe calls for unripe plantains. I like to use the very green plantains for my deep-fried version of this recipe while I prefer to use the semi-ripe plantains for the oven-baked version because baking dries food out a bit and the super green ones turn out too dry for my liking when baked.

These are my personal preferences when it comes to making fries however, I will advise not to use ripe plantains for either the baked or the fried version. it will not turn out crisp. If you feel like eating the ripe plantains you can try my fried sweet ripe plantains here.

Notes:

• I  prefer to cut my plantains into thicker wedges because the interior is so tender and I enjoy how well the crisp on the outside complements the tender interior. However, if you want more crisp feel free to cut them into the shoestring size.
• I love it hot and spicy (I know most of you know that already) so I added a little cayenne pepper for that spicy flavor. You can skip it if you don’t wat it.
• You can bake the fries on a parchment-lined pan for ease of turning and clean up.

You can serve these plantain fries with Guacamole, plain old ketchup, a mixture of ketchup and mayo, the African spicy sauce or eat ”as is”. Whatever rocks your boat.

If you’d like to know more about plantains you can read my thorough write up on how to cook plantains here. I have also tried to answer a number of frequently asked questions in the article. Enjoy!

Plantain Fries

Treat yourself with theses perfectly crispy, delicious and easy to make plantain fries. The light spice in these fries allows you to savor the subtle taste of the plantain.  Try these fries in place of potato fries, you will like it.

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Ingredients

For the deep-fried plantain fries

• 2 unripe plantains
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic powder
• 1/2 Tsp Black pepper or to taste
• 1/2 Tsp Salt or to taste
• Enough oil to deep fry the plantains

For the oven-baked plantain fries

• 2 semi-ripe plantains
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil or any other oil of your choice
• Cayenne pepper optional
• Paprika
• 1/2 Tsp Salt or to taste
• Enough oil for deep frying

Instructions

For the deep-fried plantain fries

• Preheat some oil in a frying pan
• Peel the plantains and cut into sticks like fries and put them inside a bowl
• season the plantains with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper
• Fry the plantains in the hot oil ­stirring occasionally, until golden brown, and crisp on edges about 8 to 10 minutes
• Remove the firs from oil gently shaking off excess oil and let it drain in a sieve.
  
• Serve immediately

For the oven-baked plantain fries

• Get your oven preheated to 425°F
• Peel the plantains and cut into sticks like fries and put them inside a bowl
• season the plantains with salt, garlic powder, Cayenne pepper (optional), paprika and drizzle the olive oil over it.
• Mix well until all the plantains are covered with the seasoning and oil.
• spread them out on a baking tray. Make sure they don’t overlap.
• Bake for 20 minutes turning halfway between.
• Remove from oven and serve immediately

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