Caramelised Plantains

There are some flavours from our childhood that, no matter what, we can’t seem to forget. For me the most nostalgic is that of these caramelised plantains. Most often we’d just have steamed plantains, but there were some days that were a little more special, for reasons unknown. And on those days my mother would caramelise them with a generous helping of ghee and sugar. My, oh my, they were out of the world good! This is one of the easiest snacks you can make, and what’s even better is that adding plantains to your diet every now and then can have great health benefits given it is a super food rich in vitamins and minerals. What are you waiting for? The next time you’re in the supermarket, definitely keep an eye out for this golden beauty and try caramelising them!

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Ingredients

  • 1 ripe plantain

  • 1 tbsp butter

  • 1 tsp soft light brown sugar

  • 1 tsp maple syrup

Method of Preparation

  1. Cut the ends off the plantain, then with the peel on, cut it in half widthwise. Steam for 15 minutes. Remove from the steaming basket, and allow it to cool, till it’s comfortable to touch, ~10 minutes. Remove the peel from the steamed plantain. Cut in half lengthwise.

  2. To a non-stick pan on medium heat, add the butter. As it mildly foams, add the plantain, cut side down. Allow it to brown a little, ~ 2 minutes. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top. Add the maple syrup. Allow the sugar to melt and combine with the butter, then turn the plantain. It should have browned well on the side facing up. Allow the bottom side to brown for ~1-2 minutes. Turn the plantain again, so the cut side faces down. Reduce the heat, and allow the plantain to caramelise a little bit more (for another minute or so) before turning off the heat.

  3. Serve hot, and if you’d like to be a little extra, then add a scoop of coconut cinnamon ice cream to the side!