Fried Plantains and Lazy Thursday Dinner

Readers, you must know that sometimes I, Nerdy Chef, feel like Starving-Lazy Chef and not every night can be a perfect Rachael Ray night. Some nights you just want to come home, grab the frozen package of Trader Joe's Mushroom Risotto out of the freezer and heat it up in a pan. That, my readers, was last night. But Matt and I had bought some plantains from the "recently marked down for quick sale" shelf at Shaw's, and they looked dangerously overripe. We had to cook them and eat them before they grew brains and decided to violently overthrow us and take over the kitchen.

The plantain, according to Wikipedia, is a crop in the genus Musa (like the banana) and is generally used for cooking. As you may know, plantains are less sweet and soft than bananas and must be cooked before eaten. Did you know that green, underripe plantains are starchy and overripe plantains are sweet? A staple food in tropical regions of the world, plantains are treated in the same way as potatoes are: steamed, boiled, and fried. In fact, Matt thought the fried plantain tasted just like a potato. I closed my eyes and pretended that I was eating a potato but I kept thinking, "Why does this potato taste and smell like a banana?" And I found this part of the Wiki article interesting, since I just learned about sadya from Sujiet, who's from Kerala.

Traditionally plantain leaves are used like plates while serving South Indian thali or during Sadya. A traditional southern Indian meal is served on a plantain leaf with the position of the different food items on the leaf having an importance. They also have a religious significance in many Hindu rituals. They add a subtle but essential aroma to the dish. In the Indian state of Kerala, a food preparation called Ada is made in plantain leaves. Plantain leaves are also used in making Karimeen Pollichathu in Kerala. In Tamizh Nadu, the plantain leaf is used to serve food in most of the house during festivals or special occasions.

Fried plantains are perfect for lazy Thursday meals. You peel the plantain, cut it into discs or lengthwise into rectangles, whatever you feel like. Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the plantain until golden brown on both sides. We dipped the plantain discs in hommus, which was sort of an interesting culture clash. With some tortillas and Cheddar Jack, I made simple pan quesadillas. Yum! Humble Eats, folks! :)