where to find platano verde

[cubanishi]

Royall.....the plantain or 'platano macho' which means male banana can be cooked in different ways. If it is still green (unripe) you can cut it in round slices 1.5" thick or so and pull back the peel. It's much easier to do this after you've cut it in slices. You then deep fry it in medium hot oil in a frying pan. After watching over it so it doesn't burn you turn each piece over until LIGHT golden brown. You then remove and place on a plate with paper towels to suck up some of the oil. You then raise the heat to medium high. While oil is heating up a bit you take a flat brown paper bag and gold it half way as to create a top and bottom and lay it on your counter. You take a piece of banana and put it between the folded paper bag. With a kitchen mallet or some sort of punching utensil (hammer)you smash the banana flat...but only flat enough to half an inch thick or so. It will look almost like a 'cookie'. By this time the oil will be hot enough to drop in (gently, you don't it want to splash!) several pieces at a time. Only put in a few pieces at once, as you don't want the oil to cool and thus not crisp the 'chip'. You lest toast to a medium golden brown. Keep watching over it at it's easy to burn. Salt to taste.

Another way to cook the 'green plantain' banana is to slice in 1/8" thick round slices and fry in hot oil to make plantain chips. Salt to taste.

If the bananas have ripened (soft to the touch)you can slice in a diagonal, peel and fry in medium high oil. Once the banana ripens it will taste sweet. Another way to cook ripe bananas is to slice them in rounds leaving them unpeeled, boil for 20 mins over medium heat, take out, peel and enjoy.

You can buy plantains at Safeway. Hope this helps.